


light came through

by lilibug



Series: across the lilac sky [3]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: A lot of sex, AU, All Consensual All The Time, Basically, Blindfolds, Demisexual Jughead Jones, Dirty Talk, Edgeplay, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Light Bondage, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Oral Sex, PB&J, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Porn with Feelings, Shameless Smut, Shibari, Spanking, Threesome - F/M/M, Vaginal Sex, background choni, blink and you'll miss it angst, not much plot to this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 21:17:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 61,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14121024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilibug/pseuds/lilibug
Summary: An ordinary Thursday was all it was — until it wasn't. Forever changed in a single moment, by Sunday, the course of their lives was irrevocably altered.The days that followed would never be enough.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a polyamory fic with Betty, Jughead, and Sweet Pea. mostly canon compliant to current, diverges somewhere along the line of bughead having to cover up a murder. 
> 
> their ship name is lovingly titled pb&j :)  
>    
> This was beta'd by the lovely [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com)  
> 

It started on a Thursday afternoon.

 

They were seated at the bar top of the Whyte Wrym, textbooks spread out across the length. Jughead’s laptop teetered near the edge precariously as it charged in the closest outlet.

The bar was quiet, as it often was, at this time of day. Betty often made use of it to study, quickly finding that it was a place her mother wouldn’t bother her. Alice had been even more tightly wound since Betty had announced she was going to do a year of generals at the community college before transferring out to a university. But Alice, who avoided crossing the train tracks at any cost, wouldn't bother her on the Southside.

Sure, she’d get a lecture and a rant later when, and if, she returned home. But Betty had learned to bite her tongue instead of argue. It got her away, and up to her room, quicker.

Though lately, her mother hadn’t said a single word about the times she hadn’t returned home for the night. It was strange, all things considered, but Betty wasn’t complaining. Maybe Alice was finally getting used to the fact that her daughter was in an adult relationship with her boyfriend of three years.

Jughead lived with Sweet Pea in a cheap two-bedroom apartment that was much too small for how tall they were. But they preferred it that way; it was better than either of their alternatives.

Betty has been staying the night there with increasing frequency, sleeping in Jughead’s bed  more often than her own. And as a result of all the time spent in the tiny space, she had developed a kindred friendship with Sweet Pea. Things were easier with the dramas of high school behind them. College was a different realm, one that included study sessions in the bar of the gang her boyfriend was a part of.

Sweet Pea joined them, even though he was reluctant to ask for help in his studies. His pride overwhelmed him at times and so Betty had taken it upon herself to insist that they study together every Thursday afternoon, here at the bar, before the evening rush.

And so it began, two dark haired boys scribbled their notes — one in a spiral notebook with smoothy, heavy strokes of an ink pen and the other with a keyboard that often had sticky keys. Betty had been staring at the same page of her statistics textbook for more than ten minutes and she felt her brain slowly turning into mush. The pencil she’d been holding suddenly snapped in half under the grip of her hand; the sound attracted both boys to turn and look at her.

Sweet Pea raised his eyebrows as he stilled his writing. He glanced over at Jughead who leaned over the top of his laptop to look at her from his position at the end of the counter.

“Uh, Betts? Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah, why?”

“Because you just broke your pencil in half,” Jughead said with a bit of question intoned in his voice.

Blinking, Betty looked down at her hand and dropped the pieces of the number two pencil into the crack of the textbook. She really hadn’t noticed. “I think it was just weak.”

Sweet Pea gave a snort in response. “I think you’re just stronger than you look, blondie.”

Glancing over to him, she rolled her eyes but smiled regardless. Her hands flew to her little blue bookbag that no longer managed to fit everything she needed anymore, and opened the front compartment. They all had their methods, and pencils were her preferred. Usually, Betty had many extra but today she came up empty handed.

Pursing her lips, she looked back to Sweet Pea, a seat down from her. “Can I borrow a pen?”

He looked up through shaggy, dark bangs and filtered through a look of surprise before nodding. “Yeah, my bags over there,” he jutted a thumb behind them towards the pool tables.

Looking over her shoulder, Betty popped up from the stool and walked to where his messenger bag had been carelessly slung over the green tabletop. Opening it up, she peered in to find a mess of papers that had her sighing on the inside. Sweet Pea really needed to organize his things a bit better if he ever wanted to find anything.

She reached into the bottom and pulled out a couple of pens, selecting the one with black ink over the blue. Pushing the other back in, her fingers hit a balled up piece of paper and she plucked it up. She uncrumpled it without thinking.

There were four stanzas of poetry written on the crumbled, soft paper; a line broke them into two sets. The words had been erased and re-written multiple times. Her eyes scanned the page as the breath caught in her throat.

 

_her light shines like that of sun_

_she’s radiant and warm and good_

_everything i am not_

 

_the air swirls around her like magic_

_i drink it in and it lifts me up,_

_makes me something better_

 

 

_the flame burns brightly_

_flickering, waxing, waning_

_you hold it out to me, waiting_

 

_i am afraid. but with you,_

_everything is better_

_i see your blue eyes reflected in me_

 

Her mind had started to whirl, but she’d been standing there too long. Betty balled the paper back up and shoved it to the bottom of the bag, despite wanting to hold it close, and walked back to her seat. She hopped up on the stool feeling lighter than air, despite the heavy pressure starting to press on her shoulders.

The pen clicked once under her thumb and then she couldn’t stop pressing it. It echoed the fast beat of her heart as she tried to make sense of the words she’d read.

_Click, click, click._

A hand covered her own. Betty looked up, Jughead was standing next to her, concern written into the frown between his brows. “Maybe you need a break? We could just go back to the apartment and order a pizza.”

“Yeah, a little greasy food can do wonders for the brain. I’ve got a lot of experience with that,” Sweet Pea chimed in from her other side.

Their small, concerned smiles were overwhelming in the moment, and she rather felt like crying for some inexplicable reason.

“Alright, let’s do that,” Betty said, shocking herself in the process. “I just want to go home.”

And so they went.

Betty looped her arms tightly around Jughead’s waist as they rode on his motorcycle; Sweet Pea following close behind them on his own. The minutes passed quickly; no matter the time spent on the bike her body always felt like it was vibrating afterwords. The trip back to the boys’ apartment was short, soon she’d taken her coat and shoes off, pulling the elastic from her hair. She already felt a bit better.

Then Sweet Pea brushed past her in the living room. There was a shocking current that raced up her arm at the contact with his, immediately sending a flood of adrenaline vibrating through her body. Her fingers curled over her bicep to quell the shake of her arm, staring after him, even as he disappeared behind his bedroom door.

Jughead spoke then, causing her to jump in her passive, wandering state. “What do you want Betts? On your pizza?”

She stared at him for a moment, watching his blue eyes in the dim light of the apartment as they tracked the menu he already knew by heart. Shaking her head, she pondered for a moment.

The boys shared mostly everything, except when it came to food. They each got their own pizza, including Betty. She just always had leftovers.

“Half pepperoni, half sausage?” She found herself saying, watching Jughead nod before dialing in the number and bringing the phone to his ear.

Dropping her bag and coat on the kitchen table that was used for everything but eating, Betty walked back to Jughead’s room. There was a small stash of clothing she kept there and she changed out of her jeans into a pair of black leggings, removing her cardigan to get comfortable.

Back in the living room, Sweet Pea had plopped down on the far end of the couch and turned the tv on. They always found something entertaining to watch while they ate.

Betty prepared glasses filled with ice, topping them with soda from the fridge. She turned back to the couch, juggling them in her arms, and stopped short.

Jughead had seated himself on the other end of the couch, leaving the space in the middle for her.Though it wasn’t any different than usual, she suddenly felt strangely out of sorts. Nervous, she realized.

Watching, her eyes found Sweet Pea’s arm slung against the back of the couch. His wingspan was expansive, so he was almost touching Jughead’s shoulder. Then, a shift in position, and her boyfriend was leaning into Sweet Pea’s hand.

She blinked and it was over.

Furrowing her brow, Betty walked over and set the glasses on the coffee table that Sweet Pea’s long legs were propped up on. She sat down carefully, squeezing between the two men on the couch. She crossed her legs so that they weren’t pressed to either of them as she folded her hands in her lap.

The back of her skull buzzed in a steady thrum. She was hyper-aware of everything around her; from Sweet Pea’s arm resting behind her back to the twitch of Jughead’s fingers drumming on the arm of the couch echoing in her ear.

Her body felt distinctly attuned; the vibrations against the couch matched the beat of her heart, and the gentle brush of raised hairs against her shirt made her skin tingle. The clock on wall was ticking methodically; for some reason she couldn’t quite catch her breath.

When the doorbell buzzed and Sweet Pea jumped up to grab it, Betty realized just how long she’d just been staring blankly.

They ate off of paper plates because the boys never liked to do dishes if they didn’t have to. The three sat, crammed on the couch, Betty feeling better the minute she’d smelled the pizza. She was sitting cross-legged between them now, a knee jammed into each of their thighs with her plate balanced in the space between her legs.

She finished her two slices to their four, holding her glass and sipping cold soda while she tried not to snort it out her nose at _Rick & Morty_.

Things felt comfortable again, and she relaxed against the back of the couch where Sweet Pea’s arm had shifted back to rest. He looked over at her when she leaned her head back onto his arm, his fingers brushing the hair from her shoulder briefly before returning to rest just behind her.

Jughead had thrown one of his legs over her knee, and was raising his arm up along the back of the couch. Betty stilled as he dangled his arm around her shoulder, cupping around her bicep and pulling her toward him to press a kiss to her temple. His breath smelled like Coca-Cola and she scrunched her nose up but kissed him anyway as he was pulling back.

His hand squeezed her shoulder affectionately; then, as he moved his arm behind her, she felt a sharp tug at the back of her scalp that was soothed away before the sting could set in. Betty looked over at Sweet Pea who had turned back to the tv, his fingers settled on top of Jughead’s arm at her back now, still lingering idly in the hair at the back of her neck.

She watched him for a moment, as everything else in the room fell away.

The weight of Jughead’s arm along her shoulders had pulled her to him slightly, but Sweet Pea’s fingers were drawing her his way as well with the way he was absently running his hand through her hair.

When the boys laughed suddenly, the sound was like a canon in Betty’s ears, yanking her back down to earth from where she had drifted away. She had jumped slightly, and Sweet Pea’s hand slid from her hair to cup her neck. The warmth of his palm combined with the heat of Jughead’s arm simmering under his flannel sleeve was burning her alive.

She didn’t dare look at either of them, just kept her flushed cheeks facing forward. There was a silent prayer that they didn’t notice her reaction on the tip of her tongue.

It wasn’t abnormal for all of them to be touching — it wasn’t like it bothered her. Betty was just able to feel every movement either of them made now, anticipation coursing through her  for something that she wasn’t even sure of.

When the episode ended, Sweet Pea withdrew his hand from her neck. From the corner of her eye, she watched him stretch his arms high above his head while the back of her neck continued to tingle.

“Should we watch another? Staying over or leaving Betty?” Jughead’s breath was against her ear and she had to blink herself into focus.

“Staying. I’m going to stay the night. I just…” as she trailed off,  he tilted his head at her.

“What’s up buttercup?” Sweet Pea asked, and she turned her head to watch him run a hand through his hair.

Shaking her head, Betty felt herself clam up and she unfolded herself, standing from the couch by bracing herself on Jughead’s knee. “I’m just sleepy already. I’m going to go ahead and lay down.”

“Just let me know if you need anything. I’ve really got to finish editing my paper before tomorrow,” he said, fingers rubbing the crease between his eyebrows.

“Don’t stay up too late, you either, Sweets,” she chastised, and he at least had the decency to look sheepish.

Where Jughead seemed to live on coffee and what she considered a nap, Sweet Pea stayed up late and liked to sleep in. He missed his nine am classes more often than he would ever admit to her, Betty was sure of it.

Rolling her eyes, Betty took her glass to the kitchen and filled it with water to take to bed with her. She pulled the well-used laptop from the kitchen table and held it out to Jughead who accepted it reluctantly. He tapped on it with his fingers then looked away from her, staring at the floor.

He spoke before she got a chance to wonder what was wrong, saying he would be in later. Pushing the laptop open, the bright screen reflected in his eyes in the low light. He cracked his knuckles which pulled a low groan from Sweet Pea that shot immediately to her lower belly, muscles coiling tightly as the air turned hot.

“Dude, that’s so gross.”

Turning on her heel, Betty walked straight back to their bedroom and closed the door. She set her glass on the nightstand then collapsed face first into her side of the bed. Her hands fisted in the sheets as she let out a muffled screech into the pillow that she hoped they weren’t able to hear.

The minutes ticked by; the clock that was hanging crooked on the wall grated on her every nerve. Turning over onto her back, she stared at the faded ceiling, counting the chips in the paint as she tried to feel comfortable in her own skin.

_Breathe in, breathe out._

Taking some calming breaths helped, but Betty still felt antsy. Squeezing her eyes shut, she folded her hands over her stomach. Waiting for the gentle caress of sleep seemed neverending when her brain was whirling a mile a minute.

After tossing and turning then stripping her leggings off, she finally squirmed underneath the duvet.

Her mind kept reaching out, the nagging pull at her navel urged her to get up out of bed and see what the boys were doing.

It was shocking when her brain supplied her with the image of her boyfriend’s hand pressed to Sweet Pea’s jean-clad leg, fingers slowly sliding ever higher.

Betty’s eyebrows rose and she opened her eyes to stare at the empty space on the bed next to her. What was in that pizza?

With a sigh, she forced herself to think about the things she had to do the next day. Eventually, she had run her brain into a state of fatigue that matched her achy limbs.

The next thing that she knew, it was much, much later and there was a hand sliding over the curve of her hip. Betty stilled, holding her breath. Fingers were fluttering against the dip of her belly and then edging the line of her underwear. When the familiar press of Jughead’s chest molded to her back, she sank back against him, relaxed.

“Jug?” she questioned, as his lips descended upon her neck, working a path from her ear to the collar of her shirt.

“Hmm,” he hummed against her, lips pressing softly to her pulse point as his hand made a fleeting pass over the front of her underwear. He had Betty backing up into him, her backside grinding against the hardness within his boxer briefs. Her head tilted to the side as Jughead sucked against her skin, her lips parting in a quiet moan.

The air in the room had turned hot and heavy as her hips chased his teasing fingers. Clenching her eyes shut, Betty buried her head into the pillow as she grabbed fistfuls of the sheets in front of her.

“Please, Juggie,” she whimpered, her heart beat thrumming along with the pulse of her core. When he slipped his hand underneath her underwear, she could have sighed in relief. Jughead’s fingers made the same light teasing passes against her slit, barely touching her and driving her wild.

“Tell me what you want, Betty.” His hot breath, combined with the assertive voice that she could never resist, against her ear had her shuddering and bucking up against his hand. Her fingers were tingly and her belly clenched tight as he nibbled at her earlobe. It sent waves of heat all down her body.  

“I — want you to touch me,” she managed to groan out, her fingers twisting in the sheets as he finally pressed his hand fully against her then stilled, waiting. “Fuck me with your fingers, touch my clit, do _anything_ ,” she pleaded, voice hitching higher.

Jughead’s smirk against her neck told her he had been waiting for her to beg. He tutted against her skin, fingers finally spreading her pussy. “That’s my good girl,” he murmured, lips attaching to her neck again as his fingers slid against her, gathering her wetness before circling her clit slowly.  

Squirming backward, Betty ground against his cock, hard and hot, at her lower back. He rocked his hips against her, his middle finger sliding into her pussy with ease. She let out a choked moan, begging for more as her heart slammed inside her chest.

His fingers worked against her slowly, alternating between rubbing her clit and dipping inside her folds. When he thrust two fingers fully inside her and curled them upwards, she couldn’t help the loud string of curses that flew from her lips. One of her hands had snaked around Jughead’s wrist, desperately holding him in place while his palm ground against her clit.

“Yes, right there,” she gasped, hips meeting the pump of his fingers. Just when she felt like the coil winding in her belly was about to snap, he pulled his fingers from her.

“No, no, _no,_ ” Betty whined, trying to drag his hand back to no avail.

Jughead’s hand planted firmly on her hip, controlling her jerky movements with a bruising grip. “Calm down, baby. I just want you to come with me,” he said against her throat, tongue lapping a line up to her ear. His other arm wormed its way between her body and the bed, fingers curling around her ribcage and holding tight.

“Then fuck me already, Juggie,” she said loudly, a growl rising in her throat as she tried to reach back for him.

“Ah, ah, ah. Play nice.” He grabbed a hold of her wrist, and together they drug her shirt up over her bra. Jughead pulled the cup down, finding her nipple pebbled and hard under his touch. He rolled it between his fingers and Betty leaned her head back into his neck.

“Please.”

He replaced his hand with her own and she happily took his place. Rocking her hips back, she counted a victory when he groaned into her ear.

There was a shift behind her and then he was hooking her leg behind his knee, tilting her hips down and ass up. Betty felt the head of his cock nudge against her through her underwear and bit her lip. She waited as patiently as she could while he rocked back and forth, rubbing his cock against her.

Then, when she was moments from begging and her body ached with want, Jughead pulled her underwear to the side. He guided himself to her entrance with the help of his hand.

Her eyes closed, and she stayed as still as she could while he slid inside. The familiar stretch and warmth and _fullness_ was always welcome and pacifying. Betty sighed happily, her fingers cupping her breast gently as Jughead moved his hand to her hip.

A surreal sense of wonder both surrounded and filled her body. She felt like she was buzzing, burning, _flying._

“Yes, _Juggie,_ ” she cried out as he cocked his hips back to rock into her again. Betty felt like she was climbing to impossible heights. There was a moment where she was aware of everything from her eyelashes fluttering to the rippling of abdominals against her back as they moved together, slowly.

There were times for fast and rough, hard and torturous, domineering and playful — and there were times for slow and sensual as well. She couldn’t pick a favorite, because they all felt deeply special in their own ways.

Jughead’s teeth grazed her neck, biting and sucking a dark mark into her skin. His hands pushed and pulled her hips against him in a mantra of steady rhythm. Her mouth hadn’t closed since he thrust inside her and she was trying to bite her tongue in order to maintain some semblance of discrete quietness.

“Betty…” His voice stuttered through the air as he moaned her name, forehead dropping to the back of her head, his grip on her hip possessive and strong.

The ache in her belly was building, winding tighter as she pushed back against each of Jughead’s thrusts. His hand had curled over her hip, dancing down to her clit to rub in teasing, slow circles.

“I’m so close baby,” his voice at her ear had her back arching, a low moan bubbling up in her throat.

Betty bit her lip as Jughead’s cock and fingers worked her up and over the cliff she’d been climbing — her body felt like it was falling, soaring, gliding weightlessly through air as she fell apart around him. Waves of pleasure fanned out from her belly and pulsed all through her body. Jughead’s name poured from her mouth in a chant, as his hips stuttered from the clench of her walls around him.

Then, her name fell from his lips in a sweet sigh tucked into the crown of her head. His hips jerked once, twice more, before he stilled against her. The warmth of his climax filled her up, an echo of completeness resonated through every one of her nerve endings.

“I love you Betts,” Jughead whispered, bringing his hand up to grip her jaw, he turned her face toward him over her shoulder. Straining her neck a bit, they kissed briefly; a series of short pecks and small smiles.

Then he was slipping out of her and there was a gush of wetness that had Betty cringing.

She needed to clean up a bit.

Righting her bra and t-shirt, she slipped her underwear back into place despite them being soaked through. Jughead lifted her leg from his and shifted behind her, then he was rolling her to lay on her back so he could loom over her.

His hair was messy and bedraggled and she hadn’t even had the chance to run her hands through it. The small smile on his face and the sated look in his eyes pulled at her heartstrings. Bringing a hand up to cup his cheek, she brushed her thumb over his flushed skin and appreciated the easy way he nuzzled into her palm.

“I love you too,” she whispered, tugging him down for a kiss.

Pushing the hair back from his face, Betty ruffled it while they traded kisses. The ebb and flow of their movements always felt like water and it gave her the same sensation of serene calmness.

Jughead’s thumb brushed over her hip bone, making her squirm and she bit his lower lip gently. Pulling away from him, she panted against his ear and pushed at his shoulders. “Okay, that’s enough. It’s the middle of the night,” her eyes flickered over to the alarm clock on the nightstand, the red numbers glaring back at her in the low lamplight.  “Two am, to be more precise. Save it for the daylight hours, Jones.”

Huffing in response, he pecked her lips one more time before shifting to lay on his back next to her. He yawned, stretching his arms above his head before dropping them back and hooking his fingers together behind his head. Betty watched him close his eyes, turning on her side to cuddle up next to him when the uncomfortable wet, stickiness between her thighs became apparent.

“Ugh,” she groaned, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “I’ll be back.”

Jughead let out a little hum in response, his breathing already starting to slow and body relaxing. She left the room with an eye roll, tugging the hem of her shirt down ineffectively. The combination of Jughead’s come and her arousal had soaked her underwear and she could feel it threatening to slide down her thighs.

Tiptoeing into the hallway, Betty blinked in the darkness and walked the few short steps to the bathroom. She didn’t really notice that the door was shut, just bumped it a little with her shoulder before reaching down and fumbling for the handle.

However, she did notice the steam clouding the air and the gentle sound of the shower hitting the tiles; the overhead light burned her eyes and she squinted. Blinking, she lingered in the doorway before her brain registered that Sweet Pea must be taking a shower.

She took one step backwards before freezing in place. The air was humid and wafting steam billowed from behind the glass enclosure. But that’s not what made her cheeks burn so fiercely.

A low groan over the spray of water echoed hauntingly in her ears. Her hand tightly clutched the doorknob in her grasp, breath catching in her throat.

Sweet Pea was long and lean, taller and broader than Jughead. Betty had never seen so much of his skin before. She was mesmerized.

His skin was olive-toned; a scatter of tattoos she didn’t know about covered his torso. At this distance she couldn’t make out many details, except for the dark, abstract lines with curves and points that worked their way down his side and curled over his hip bone before disappearing from her view.  

But what really distracted her was the hand that was wrapped around his cock.

She squeezed her eyes shut as every muscle in her body went rigid. The image was there, burned into her brain.

And then he was moaning, deep and low, and it made her thighs tremble. Betty opened her eyes again, mouth dropping open as she watched Sweet Pea’s hand pump up and down his cock. The heat that flooded her was insurmountable, her pussy clenching in a desperate ache.

The glass offered little in the way of privacy; she watched his hand clench against the tiles as he leaned against the wall. Water rained down his back, dripping through the curls of hair that were hanging down in his eyes. Her fingers itched with an unspeakable urge to push them up and out of his face, to watch his rich brown eyes and see how wide his pupils must be.

She let go of the doorknob and shifted so that her back was against the doorframe, the wood pressing directly between her shoulder blades. She folded her arm behind her, fitting in the curve of her lower back, fingers curled around the frame and holding tight. Her heart was beating wildly, blood rushing in her ears. Betty was spurred on by the sound of a groaned, “Fuck,” dropping from his lips; her thighs squeezed together in response.  

She tilted her head to the side and watched his cock bob under long, dexterous fingers. Imagining her own hand wrapping around him, her fingers trembled and she found herself slipping them into her underwear. Tugging her lip between her teeth, Betty spread her legs to steady herself against the sudden spinning of the room.

She was still coming down from her orgasm with Jughead — their come still slick on her thighs. Her body felt instantly sensitive, still tender but aroused by all the sounds Sweet Pea was making.

She drew her fingers up and down her folds, dipping into her pussy and gathering the mixture of them. Drawing it up over her clit, her fingers slipped around in circles. A moan bubbled in her throat that she was barely able to choke back down, her breath stuttering and tearing roughly from her throat.

Betty’s head knocked back into the doorframe and she turned further to watch as Sweet Pea thumbed the head of his cock. His hips jerked into his fist and she was enthralled, staring with half-lidded eyes as he fucked his hand.

Her hand clutched the frame behind her back desperately as she began to pump her fingers in and out of her pussy, matching his rhythm. The moan that escaped from her lips, when she imagined his cock or even his fingers inside her in place of her own hand, changed everything.

His head snapped up, eyes finding Betty’s across the short distance. The arousal that was simmering in her blood turned to a full boil, flush extending from her cheeks down into the low collar of her shirt that was still slightly askew. The embarrassment was sidelined by her pleasure, biting her lip as her palm ground against her clit, when Sweet Pea’s eyes did a slow sweep of her body before focusing on her hand.

Then, instead of stopping, his hand started moving on his cock again. With renewed vigor, he worked himself up and down while his eyes watched her hand work under the thin lace.

A lusty haze clouded her rational thoughts and she moaned loudly, no longer needing to hide that she was there. Sweet Pea’s hips bucked into his hand in response, jerking hard, and she watched the strong muscles of his back ripple with power.

“Fuck, I’m gonna come,” Betty heard him groan. His voice sounded gravely and rough, sending her back arching against the doorway.

Her breath hitched again in her throat, pussy clenching around her fingers as she watched Sweet Pea come. His head fell back, fingers clenching the tile wall till his knuckles turned white, as he fucked upwards into his fist. The deep guttural groan that tore from his throat as thick ropes of come spilled over his cock had her hand working faster.

Betty curled her fingers upwards, finding that perfect little spot that made her head dizzy and her legs weak beyond belief. Her thighs were quivering as she felt herself winding up, ready to be set free.

Opening her eyes, which she hadn’t realized she’d closed, she found Sweet Pea with both hands against the wall. His chest was heaving and he watched her with dark eyes. There was a feral sense of danger in the deep brown; it sent shockwaves through her body as her fingers circled her clit.

In a flash that felt like lightning, she was whimpering, her eyes locked with his. Her fingers stilled, moving lazily against her clit as she rocked her hips to the pulse of pleasure spreading from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.

Coming down this time was harder; her brain felt like mush in the aftermath of two intense orgasms. She closed her eyes and relaxed against the doorframe.

The shower turned off. Her eyes shot open as Sweet Pea opened the shower door. “Betty…” His voice was soft and low, and did unspeakable things to her before her heart stuttered in her chest.

It was at this moment that she felt an inescapable pressure drop into her belly that lit her up with a different sort of fire that was entirely unpleasant. The feeling of dread seeping into her bones was so cold that it was burning hot.

Before she had even pulled her hand completely free from her underwear, she had pushed off from the wall and sprinted the short distance back to Jughead’s room.

Betty closed the door as quietly as she could behind her, leaning against it, her chest heaving at the lack of oxygen. She needed to remember to breathe.

Glancing to Jughead, still flat on his back in the same position she had left him, she blew out a shaky breath. The floor came up to meet her as she found herself sliding down the door. She wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her forehead against her knees solemnly. Her mind swam with a thousand different thoughts, but mostly, they were screaming at her lack of human decency. Betty’s eyes clenched shut tightly, her body swaying precariously as she trembled under the brevity of her actions.

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me your thoughts? 
> 
> Find me on tumblr! [@lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is here! The feels are real my friends. Let me know what you think :)
> 
> This was beta'd by the lovely [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com)

It had been a long Friday before it even truly began.

 

In the early hours of the morning, Betty slipped from the covers of the bed. Padding across the floor, she pulled on the leggings she had discarded the evening before. She grabbed her cardigan and buttoned it from neck to waist, still feeling like she was on display despite the layers.

Turning back to the bed, she bent down to kiss Jughead’s forehead as he slept peacefully. Meanwhile, she had lain awake the rest of the night as shame wracked her body.

“Jug, I’m leaving now,” she whispered, brushing some hair from his forehead. He groaned sleepily, nuzzling toward her hand. “Can you hear me?”

He nodded, “‘m, yeah, love you.”

There was a knife in her gut, twisting the sharp point of the blade. “I love you too.”

Betty watched his face for a moment, admiring the relaxed set of his features. Her thumb brushed over the pattern of dark beauty marks on his cheek, sliding down to his jaw. Her eyes started to water and she stood quickly, pulling her sleeves over her fingers and dabbing at the tears before they could fall.

She crept from the room after peering into the hallway first. Tip-toeing through the living room felt eerie in the quiet dawn, the light peeked in from the blinds casting a subtle glow about the apartment. She found her converse under the kitchen table and sat down in the chair to slip them on. After tying them up, she leaned her head back against the wall.

The tightness in her chest felt like unadulterated guilt.

In the moment she had been swept up, feeling powerless to stop her actions in the bathroom. But oddly enough, despite her self-condemnation, the one thing she didn’t feel was regret.

Not quite sure what that meant, Betty pulled on her coat and slung her school bag across her shoulder. Locking the door behind her, she tucked her set of spare keys back into her purse. It was a long walk back to her house from here, but the brisk morning air felt good in her lungs.

The road under her feet passed slowly, her eyes counting the dips and holes that marked the difference in the Southside pavement from the North. When she reached the red wood bridge that separated the town over the train tracks, Betty kicked a rock from the edge. She watched it hit the surface of the creek that ran below, sinking to the bottom. The gentle, bubbling current drew her attention and she watched the stream fade in the distance, knowing that it would dip into Sweetwater River a ways down.

Wondering how cold the water was, her skin prickled with goosebumps. Her thoughts shifted for a moment as she closed her eyes. Sucking a breath in, Betty continued to walk.

Feeling aimless, she eventually climbed the steps in front of her house with heavy legs. She prayed her mother wasn’t awake yet, not ready to deal with her subtle condescension.

Thankfully, the house was shrouded in quiet stillness. Ever since her parents had divorced, her mother had been very different. Some things were better and others were worse. She had begun to feel like the tiny apartment, where she initially went to escape, had begun to feel like her home while her house had felt like the shell of one. Betty had learned to live with it the past two years, but she was itching to move in with Jughead and Sweet Pea.

The thought popped into her mind, blinding white and she froze on the stairs.

She still wanted that. Even now.

Closing her eyes, Betty tilted her head to the side and sighed. She backtracked on the steps and carried herself down to the basement. Opening her purse, she pulled a bobby pin from it and kneeled in front of the liquor cabinet. She’d learned to pick a lot of locks at a surprisingly young age. _Thank you, Nancy Drew._

She selected the bottle of Grey Goose, still unopened from when her mom had bought it during the divorce; unless this was a new bottle. Pursing her lips, Betty shook her head and stood up, securing the door back to how she’d found it. She tucked the bottle under her arm and headed up the stairs.

Turning the taps on in her bathroom, she stripped while letting the tub fill. It felt minutely better to get out of her clothes, her underwear in particular had become uncomfortable.

When the tub was half full, she stepped in and sunk down. The hot water sloshed around her thighs before she pulled her feet up to rest atop the tap as it continued to flow. Pulling the bottle of liquor up from the floor, she cracked the seal on it.

Taking a swig of the vodka, Betty winced, scrunching up her nose. The burn in her throat and chest made her cough a bit, but she took another drink anyway. Putting the cap back on, she set it down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Settling back against the tub, she tried to focus on the sound and sensation of the hot water. Her muscles felt very tense and sore, like she’d run a marathon or something equally intense. She supposed she had in a way, at least it felt like it in her mind.

Eventually she took two more swigs of the liquor before making a face and capping the bottle for the last time. She sat in the bath for a little while longer, letting the alcohol do its part to relax her as she thought about her afternoon class. There was no way she was going to attend. Though people would absolutely notice her absence; specifically Sweet Pea, who she shared the class with.

Sighing, Betty slid down in the tub to submerge her head underwater, holding her breath. She clenched the edge of the tub, hauling herself back up when her lungs started to burn. Wiping her face, she shivered, realizing the water must have turned cold some time ago.

She stepped out of the tub, toweled off, and slipped into a black silken robe. She laid down like that, under the cool sheets that had her skin prickling with goosebumps. Her muscles felt better, but her mind was still muddled.

Sleep came easier than she thought it would, aided by the alcohol, slipping her into a dreamless state.

When she woke again, it was well into the afternoon.

Rolling over, Betty groaned and shoved her face into her pillow. Someone, no doubt her mom, had come in and opened the curtains at some point. The light streamed in and cut across the bed in gentle rays, warming her back under the black robe.

She pulled them closed, bathing the room in a dimmer light, and sighed appreciatively. Sitting on the bench below the window, she drew her legs up and pulled her phone from her purse.

There were several missed texts from Jughead, one from Veronica, and two from her mother that she rolled her eyes at. She sent them all a minimal reply, then took a steadying breath and sought out a glass of water from the kitchen. Not feeling much like food, she crawled back into bed.

Class had started a bit ago; she wondered what Sweet Pea was thinking. Did he think she was a coward?

_Did she?_

Closing her eyes, she willed herself back to sleep to avoid thinking at all.

This cycle of waking, sleeping, and not eating, continued into Sunday. Betty had been ignoring all of her texts except the ones from Jughead, and only replied to those with the bare minimum. She avoided his phone call on Saturday night, texting him much later with claims of being asleep. Which was half-true, she had been in and out, the fog of her self induced depression had kept her in bed.

So, it really shouldn’t have surprised her to be woken up on Sunday afternoon by Jughead kissing her forehead. “Betty…” his voice was such a gentle caress that she almost thought she was still sleeping.

Mumbling, she rolled over, making room for Jughead to slide in behind her. He did so after a moment, her ears catching the heavy fall of his boots against the carpet as slipped them off.

When he laid behind her, his warmth enveloped her just as his body did. One of his arms settled across her hips and the other slid under her ribs to curl up around her chest, pulling her back into his torso as he pressed his legs against hers. The material of his jeans was rough on her bare skin; she had half a mind to tell him to take them off but she wasn’t acutely aware of where her mother was.

Betty closed her eyes, counting the easy breaths against her neck and the swirls of Jughead’s fingers under her tank top. She still couldn’t quite face him, but she knew she was avoiding the inevitable confrontation; the pressure to speak vibrated deep in her bones.

“Are you okay, Betty?” he asked quietly. “SP said you weren’t in class Friday and you’ve been practicing some radio silence this weekend.” It wasn’t like her to skip class, that much was obvious. She was the type to arrive early, even when sick.

The tightness she had been agonizing over all weekend returned to her chest, and she clenched the sheets between her fingers. Their bodies mirrored the other night, but things had changed under the surface in the short amount of time.

She desperately wanted to say that everything was fine, she just wasn’t feeling well, but the thought brought tears to her eyes. Betty wasn’t any good at lying and she didn’t like to do it, especially not to Jughead.

Her throat felt like sandpaper, tongue dry and thick in her mouth. “N—no… I’m not. Not okay,” she croaked out, burying her face into the pillow, eyes clenched tightly shut.

Arms tightened around her, protectively, and Jughead nuzzled the back of her head gently. “What is is baby? What’s wong? Tell me,” he murmured. “Is something happening here at home? At school?”

Betty could only shake her head in response. The feeling of impending doom washed over her as her anxiety reached new heights in the face of this looming conversation.

For a moment, she felt Jughead stiffen behind her. His muscles stiffened against her back as he spoke in a quiet voice, “Is… is it me? Did I do something wrong?” She could hear the worry in his voice so strongly that it made her heart ache even much more.

Vehemently, she shook her head again and Jughead relaxed against her. His relieved sigh against her hair and his fingers drifting to run up and down the length of her bare thigh sent tremors all through her body. It was amazing how strongly he could affect her, even when she was in such turmoil.

“You can tell me anything Betty, you know that right?”

Of course she did. But it had never been this hard. The thought of hurting him… it sent her to a bad place, one that was dark and depraved. It made her skin crawl and her head spin when she thought of it.

There was a long stretch of silence; she did nothing but hold back the tears that were threatening and the heavy upset of her stomach. There would only be one thing she could do to make it all go away.

Betty took a breath, her voice cracking, “There — there’s something… I need, _h—have_ to tell you.”

“Whenever you’re ready, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere, Betts.”

Her eyes opened, tears falling on her cheeks like they’d just busted through a dam.

She couldn’t help it now, as a sob racked through her chest she felt the air disappear from her lungs. The words were on the tip of her tongue, stilted. There was an overwhelming sensation of feeling like she was underwater, drowning in a sea of rough, choppy waters.

Betty tried to blink through watery eyes as Jughead turned her onto her back. He looked down at her, concern etched on his face as he brushed away some wild hairs that were sticking to her wet cheeks. Her lower lip trembled when he peppered warm kisses across her forehead, moving slowly down to her temple.

His fingers brushed against her cheeks. “I hate it when you cry. Please tell me how to help you,” Jughead asked softly, mouth downturned and his own eyes glassy, alight with unwavering adoration.

She knew he was infinitely curious about what had affected her so — could feel it in the tremble of his fingers and the way his shoulders hunched over her. Despite his concern he patiently waited for her to continue at her own pace.

Betty cupped his cheek in her hand, her palms cold against his warmth. She attempted a smile, though it was broken and wavering. “Don’t hate me,” she whispered.

“Never,” was his immediate response, not a flicker of hesitation. She believed him.

“I went to the bathroom… to get cleaned up the other night after we had sex,” she started, swallowing what felt like a frog in her throat. She dropped her hands to rest at her stomach, fingers twisting around each other nervously. The next words got stuck on their way up, just as she got lost in the opalescent blue of Jughead’s eyes.

“Okay…” he prompted after a minute; his hand moved from her face to her bicep as he soothed the skin with soft brushing motions.

“Sweet Pea… he was touching himself in the shower,” she squirmed, shame and fear creating so much tension in her limbs that they began to tremble. She looked down, unable to meet Jughead’s eyes, afraid of what she might find in them despite his words of acceptance. “And I watched. I didn’t turn around, I didn’t leave. I should have, god, I should have. But I didn’t want to.” She took a steadying breath, closing her eyes as her body burned with cold flames of embarrassment, remorse, and guilt. “I touched myself while I watched.”

An unsettling silence stifled the air around Betty; her breaths were shallow and weak. She clenched her hands into tight fists, biting her lower lip between her teeth. Then, when her despair felt insurmountable, Jughead’s hands uncurled hers and held them. She opened her eyes, his touch insighting her determination to continue.

Her mouth opened again and she forged on; she couldn’t stop herself this time. “I’m sorry, Juggie, I am. I don’t know _why_ I did it, just that I did. It felt so good, and I got caught up in it—”

“Betty—”

“—Don’t be mad at Sweet Pea, it’s not his fault at all. I just burst in on a private moment and I couldn’t control myself like some kind of crazy—”

Then he was kissing her.

It felt like the quell of a raging storm, when the air turned calm and smelled so refreshingly sweet. The tempest of worries that had plagued her for days began to slip away with his fervent affection. Betty feared that she might float away without the weight of the words she had been holding in, she gripped Jughead’s forearms to ground herself.

In response, he shifted above her, arms scooping her up, pulling her against his body. Her heart had never stopped racing, but it felt like it stopped as he overwhelmed her with his devotion; he wasn’t pushing her away at all.

His lips moved against hers with a soft, demanding pressure that had her whimpering into his mouth. This was a moment in which, normally, she would have thrown her arms around his neck and rolled on top of him or pulled him to her earnestly.

But this was not such a time.

Her hands pressed against his chest. “Wait—stop,” she sunk back into the bed, pushing him away, so she could stare up at him. “W—what was that? You just _kissed_ me after what I told you?” Betty stuttered, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

“It was the only way to get you to stop rambling.”

Blinking, she gaped a little at the small smirk on his face. “ _What_?”

Jughead sighed, shuffling to letting her go then leaning onto his side beside her. His hands plucked at an invisible flaw on her flowered duvet. “You were about to spiral, Betty. I stopped it.”

“And I _am_ grateful, but you don’t have anything to say about — about what I… said?” Her heart rate began to pick back up, anxiety peaking once more as her stomach turned uncomfortably.

“Well, yeah. I was getting there, eventually. I just... took a little detour first.” Jughead looked away from her then, his blue eyes darkening in solemnity.

“I understand, Betty. I realized the distinct possibility that you would find other people attractive from the start of our relationship. Trust me when I say there is little you could actually do to make me leave you,” he stated simply, eyes flickering up to hers.

It left her breathless, heart constricting in her chest at the way he looked so vulnerable.

He continued, “It makes sense that you might develop some attraction for Sweet Pea with how close we’ve all become.”

Jughead’s hand grabbed hers from where she had clenched it in the duvet without realizing. He kissed the back of her hand softly, sweetly. “Do you have _feelings_ for Sweet Pea, is the important question.”

_Did she?_

The question left her brain scrambling like an egg outside on a hot day.

Time seemed to slow as she sunk into herself for a moment of retrospection. Of course, Betty had never thought about having feelings for someone else. Jughead was _her person;_ the one she envisioned her life entwined with for many years, if not forever, to come.

There was, however, an unspeakable force that she felt pulling her toward Sweet Pea. She liked being around him; fundamentally, she loved him. Could she see herself falling _in_ love with him?

When she thought about him parting from their lives there was an ache in her heart, overwhelming her with dread in the exact same way as when she imagined Jughead leaving her. Betty dared to think of kissing Sweet Pea — and her heart started to flutter.

“I don’t know Juggie. This is so confusing, it's terrifying. I don't want to lose you,” she implored, shaking her head as her eyes watered up again, her chest constricting painfully.

"Alright, Betts, just breathe." Jughead ran his fingers over her knuckles then pressed the pad of his thumb firmly into the palm of her hand in a calming gesture.

He always seemed to know exactly what she needed, soothing her rising anxiety with his hands. Years prior, he had discovered that when he applied enough pressure to her palm it would distract her in the same way the bite of her nails did.

Betty was able to take a deep breath in, the tightness in her chest easing.

Looking up from their hands, Jughead gazed at her through his long eyelashes, "With all that we've been through, do you really think this would be my third rail?"

“I don’t know… I—I don't want to hurt you, I love you more than anything. How could there be room for anyone else but you?” Her voice broke on her question, bottom lip quivering as more tears slid back toward her temples.

Jughead sighed softly, reaching out to gather the moisture at the corners of her eyes before any more tears could escape. "I love you, Betty. I feel like my whole existence is for you. You're mine and I'm yours. I would do anything for you; I’d cover up a murder if you asked me to," he soothed, pressing his lips to the tip of her nose where a single tear lingered.

His forehead rested lightly against hers, eyes closed as he stroked her hair in thought, no doubt processing what she had revealed. Several moments passed before he pulled back and met Betty’s eyes, resolve and determination glittering in his irises. The exposition of love that she felt coming from Jughead was almost tangible.

"Am I scared? Yes. Of course I am. I mean, this is something entirely new that we’ve never explored before. I certainly never thought we’d have to, but that doesn't mean that I'm not willing to try. This certainly isn’t the first thing we’ve experimented with. I want you to be happy, and if that involves exploring feelings for Sweet Pea, then — yeah. I'll support you, I always will. I'm with you, Betts. You’ll have to find some other way to get rid of me,” he teased, causing her eyes to immediately roll in response.

However, the message was exactly what she needed to hear. Her heart melted at his unwavering support, already tested by the little time they’ve been together on the grand scale of life. She counted the seconds that passed, her breath returning to a slow, steady rhythm.

The corners of his mouth turned up as he raised his eyebrows, "Trust me, things could be much worse than my girl also being interested in my best friend. For a minute there I was worried that you were going tell me something that would turn our lives into a Hitchcock film." The little dimples at the corners of his mouth were on full display now.

"Despite the fact that I secretly think you would love that — no bodies or evidence to cover up this time," Betty reassured, a small smile forming on her face that was finally reaching her eyes.

Jughead smiled down at her, brushing her hair behind her ear tenderly. "If you want to talk about it — talk to SP, about bringing him into our relationship, I'm open to the conversation. All of us together? We’re so close already, it wouldn’t be that far of step to become something more."

There were a thousand different thoughts swirling in her head, but one was more pressing than any other.

"And what about you?" Betty asked, tilting her head inquisitively.

Jughead raised an eyebrow at her wearily, “What about me?”

“Do you like Sweet Pea?”

“Of course I like him, he’s my best friend —”

She cut him off with a stern, “Jug.”

His adam’s apple bobbed with a thick swallow. Now he was the one who seemed nervous.

“I’ve only ever really thought of one person in my whole life in that way, Betty. You,” Jughead emphasized so resolutely that it made her heart soar. “So, to tell you the truth, I definitely don’t know either. He's the only other person I trust, besides you. You know I don't open up to many people and between the both of you — you guys are my everything. I think the water here is a little murky, but we’ll just have to navigate it together. All of us.”

Betty could feel the quickened pace of his heart under her fingertips. “We need to actually talk to Sweets then.”

“Yeah, we should. If we are going to consider doing this, he might want a say,” Jughead said, chuckling. His fingers covered hers on his chest, idly running up and down the length of her arm.  Pleasant tingles ran down her spine at the light contact.

They laid together, legs intertwined, for a few more quiet minutes and Betty almost felt relaxed enough to go back to sleep. She had certainly slept enough this weekend, even though her restless body and mind had needed it. She couldn’t help but let her thoughts drift to theconversation they were going to have with Sweet Pea.

The thought of seeing him again after what happened still embarrassed her. She was surely going to go bright red under his stare; she worried she was going to continuously be picturing him without clothes.

How were they even supposed to bring this up? The more she thought about it, she began to wonder if Sweet Pea would even be receptive the idea or if their connection had just been a fluke. Even if he was interested, he might feel hesitant or neglected entering into an existing relationship with established intimacy.

The thought of him rejecting the idea completely sent her into a tizzy. What if he didn’t want any part of this? Did his feelings run any deeper than an impulsive moment of intimacy? Would he want to move beyond friendship with the both of them? Betty was mildly sure he was at least interested in her, after the bathroom incident, and she had suspicions about him being interested in Jughead as well. The two were very close and never seemed to have a problem touching one another, in fact, there was a frequent easy affection between them. Jughead was just oblivious when people were trying to flirt with him.

Betty also didn’t want Sweet Pea to feel overwhelmed. Both of them coming at him right away might feel an ambush. She certainly didn’t want to make him uncomfortable.

Gnawing on her lip, she tilted her back to watch Jughead. His eyes were closed and the worries that seemed permanently etched into his face had softened. She almost thought he was asleep until there was a little twitch of his mouth as he tried not to smile.

“It’s rude to stare, Betty,” he chided playfully, still not cracking an eye at her.

Huffing, Betty slapped his hand away from hers, poking him in the ribs where she knew he was ticklish. “How did you even know I was looking at you?”

“I could be really cheesy and say it’s because the hair on my neck stood up or I felt the radiant shine of your gaze bestowed upon me but…” he peeked an eye open, “I just felt your breath on my chin.”

“You mean my icky morning breath?”

“Nothing about you is icky, Betts. Besides, it’s definitely close to evening now,” Jughead pointed out, grabbing his phone from the pocket of his pants. He squinted at the screen, scrolling up a bit. “And Sweet Pea has texted me exactly eight times, asking about you.”

The warmth inside her chest was doubled, if not tripled by that statement. The simple fact that Sweet Pea was worried about her, since she’d gone MIA after what went down, was delightfully endearing. She never got tired of Jughead fussing over her, truly. So she welcomed a new source with open arms, especially one that meant so much to her. It was done in such a different way than her parents ever did, she felt how much he cared through his actions alone.

“I think I should talk to Sweet Pea alone first, about what happened Thursday,” Betty interjected, voice firm with determination and easy gentleness. The smooth blue of Jughead’s eyes fixated intensely on hers before he nodded.

“If you think that’s for the best, then yeah, okay. I’ll drop you off at the apartment and I’ll find all of us some takeout food. Maybe Chinese. I’ll stare at the menu debating my choices for even longer than I normally do.”

Rolling her eyes, she sat up; the pounding of her head threw her for a bit of a loop. Groaning, she shuffled off the bed to find some Aspirin in her bathroom, narrowing her eyes at Jughead before she closed the door behind her. “Just don’t get _one of everything_ again.”

 

 

*

 

 

Dropping her keys into the red ceramic bowl by the entry to the apartment, Betty shrugged off her pea coat. She hung it on the back of the door, next to Sweet Pea’s leather jacket, and set her packed bag on the tabe. As she bent over at the waist to untie her converse, she heard footsteps.

“Jug, man, you didn’t answer _any_ of my texts,” she had untied one shoe when he rounded the corner of the hallway. “What — oh.”

Plucking the rest of the white strings apart, she loosened the threads and then straighten back up. She kicked her shoes off, knocking them toward the kitchen table and then turned around.

Sweet Pea quickly raised his eyes up to hers, and her lips turned up into a small, triumphant smirk. “Hi, Sweet Pea.”

He was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans, barefoot against the carpet. He tucked has hand into his pocket as he rubbed at the back of his neck with the other. “Where’s Jughead?”

She started to step forward and was surprised when he took a step back in response. Her lips turned down into a frown and she crossed her arms over her chest. “He’s getting all of us some food,” Betty clarified, before pointing at the couch with one hand. “Now, you — sit.”

“Betty I don’t know if this is the best time, maybe wait till Jug—”

“I’m a big girl Sweet Pea. Now, _sit,_ ” she said pointedly, her tone succinct.

He looked wary for a moment before he sighed, sitting down on the couch and stretching his long legs out in front of him to rest on the coffee table. As she walked around the couch to stand by the coffee table, his arms crossed against his chest mimicking her body language.

She caught herself staring, distracted by the sight of his forearms. She got the most delicious flash of him in her mind's eye, his naked body under the spray of the shower, muscles and veins in his arm popping as he…

Blinking, Betty swallowed thickly before she turned her eyes up to his.

It was his turn to smirk.

Shaking her head, she settled down next to Sweet Pea on the couch, sitting close enough that the knee she’d folded under herself touched his thigh. Her hands fidgeted in her lap against the dark denim of her jeans, picking at invisible threads. “So, Thursday,” she began.

Sweet Pea sighed and tilted his head back against the couch, slumping down. “I _know_ , I’m sorry, Betty. I just couldn’t control myself. After hearing you guys—”

“Wait, what?” she stopped him, laying a hand on his arm. “Hearing us?” she squeaked, her face starting to heat up.

Disbelief reflected back to her in the arch of his brow. “Betty, come on. These walls are paper thin.”

Her heart beat felt thready in her chest and she sucked in a deep breath, suddenly feeling a thousand times more ashamed of herself. Furrowing her brow as her fingers began to twitch; she covered her face to muffle a disgruntled groan. “Ugh, I am so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. I didn’t say I minded it.” Sweet Pea shrugged a shoulder, “Just like I obviously didn’t mind when I saw you touching yourself while you watched me.”

Her heart rate was speeding up just as quickly as she was losing control of this conversation.

“I just have one question —”

“Oh no, no, no you don’t,” Betty exclaimed, her hands dropping from her face suddenly as she leaned forward and clapped her hand over Sweet Pea’s mouth. As his eyebrows rose into his hairline, she struggled to maintain her newfound composure. “This is my inquisition, you don’t get to ask the questions. Not yet.”

Her palm pressed firmly against his lips, she had leaned up onto her knees to reach him. A long minute of silence stretched between them, as they stared at each other.

Blinking, she slowly lowered her hand from his face. Her fingers were tingling.

“I told Jughead about what happened.” She crossed her arms over her chest, noting the way Sweet Pea resolutely stared forward. The bob of his adam’s apple as he swallowed and the white knuckled clench of his fingers around his bicep told her a lot of things.

“And what did he have to say?” There was a hitch to his voice, conveying his nervousness.

“You’ll see soon enough, when he comes home,” Betty answered vaguely before switching gears. “Were you touching yourself because you were listening to two people having sex or because it was me and Jug specifically?”

The air felt charged, like a storm with swirling waves of kinetic energy was brewing. Her cheeks burned and she focused on the way Sweet Pea’s tongue darted out to lick his lower lip before he swiveled his attention towards her. His gaze was so intense that she felt herself begin to lean forward, as if he was reeling her in.

“Because it was my two best friends fucking on the other side of the wall. I imagined you were moaning for me, and then later you _were.”_

He was practically growling and she felt the rumble of his voice like an ache in her chest. She was sweating now, surely, her hands felt clammy against her jeans.

“I like you,” she blurted without preamble, quickly biting her tongue afterward. She squirmed, resting back on her heels as she looked down through her lashes to where she gripped her knees.

A finger hooked under her jaw, tilting her head up. She watched Sweet Pea’s frown deepen, “You look like you’ve been crying all day, peaches. Please tell me it’s not because your brain has tricked you into thinking something ridiculous—”

“Sweets, come on,” Betty slapped his hand away from her chin and jutted her finger at his chest. “ _You_ are being ridiculous.” He sunk back against the couch under her hand. “I’ve been crying because I had to tell Jug what I did because I felt guilty and he needed to know, but not because I regretted it.”

“Really?” he inquired in stunned disbelief.

She leaned forward, watching as Sweet Pea’s eyes went wide, his body tensed. “Yes — now relax, you big lug,” she ribbed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Burying her face into his neck, she sighed against him when his muscles slowly relaxed, one arm tentatively curling around her in half a hug.

His hesitancy to touch her suddenly, after years of simple affection, was shattering her heart into a million little splinters. She wanted this to be easy, but she knew it was going to take a lot of communication and honestly if they wanted this to have a chance to work. As she nuzzled his head he began to pull away from her, but she tightened her arms around him, scooting closer on the seat of the couch.

“Do you like Jughead?” Betty murmured into his neck, and she was delighted when he shuddered in pleasure as her breath tickled his skin.

“Of course I like him he’s my —”

Betty tugged sharply on the lobe of Sweet Pea’s ear and he snapped his mouth shut with an ‘ _ow_.’

“I am _not_ doing this again,” she mumbled under her breath, “I know he’s your best friend. Now are you interested in him romantically?”

Sweet Pea was reticent, seemingly unwilling to speak, before he huffed, “Yes.” He sounded a little defeated, as if the affirmation was still relatively new to himself as well.

“Well good. Because if you haven’t figured it out yet, we’re kind of a package deal,” she beamed, pulling back a bit to look at him, smiling so wide that her cheeks were hurting.

His eyes rolled upwards in response, “Yeah, no shit.”

They paused, gazing at each other before his hand came up to tuck some hair back behind her ear.

Blinking, Betty tilted her head a little. His hand came to rest on her knee as her arms loosened around his shoulders. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye that had her close to squirming again when the front door to the apartment opened.

Sweet Pea jumped and immediately tried to move away from her in earnest, but she wasn’t having it.

Her arms looped around his neck as Betty all but climbed into his lap, pressing herself against his side as she turned to look over her shoulder.

Jughead glanced at them with an amused smile. “Well, this looks interesting. Care to catch me up?”

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to some sexiness next chapter... ;P
> 
> Find me on tumblr! [lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three is here! There is some hot stuff in this one! Hope you enjoy :)
> 
> This was beta'd by the lovely [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com), who is my bff, I LOVE HER. Check out her works on here! <3

Everything changed on a Sunday evening.

 

Once Jughead abandoned the two brown paper bags of Chinese food, he walked over to the couch to stand in front of the coffee table.

Sweet Pea had gone incredibly tense next to her and Betty could practically hear him grinding his teeth. She hadn’t exactly gotten to the rest of what she’d been planning to say. Either Jughead was quicker than he claimed he was going to be or she had strayed from her script too much.

Of course, it didn't help that Jughead was staring at them with a blank face, expression not easily readable. His arms were crossed expectantly as he looked at them on the couch.

“Stop looking like such a hard ass, you know what we were talking about.” Her eyes rolled, and she leaned in close to Sweet Pea’s ear. She spoke while staring straight at Jughead. “Sweets, when I asked you if you liked Juggie, what did you say?”

He was silent for a moment before he furrowed his brows in confusion. “That of course I do, he’s my best friend.”

Her eyebrows raised in delight as she looked to Jughead, a smirk on her lips. She pulled her arms from around Sweet Pea’s shoulders, feeling only slightly dejected when he finally relaxed in response. “So similar,” she said to Jughead with mocking curiosity. “And then what did I ask?”

They were both quiet then. The air felt stagnant and she was starting to get ansty.  

“Men,” she muttered under her breath. Clearing her throat, Betty unfolded her legs and sank back into the couch. “We have to finish this conversation before we eat.”

That turned some gears.

“You asked if I liked him romantically,” Sweet Pea declared, voice steady with determination as he brought his eyes up from the coffee table to look at Jughead.

They stared at each other for a moment, neither moving or speaking. Until Jughead’s lips parted, “What did you say.” It wasn’t a question.

His voice, deep, low, and demanding, sent a shiver down her spine. He liked to use it on her often.

There was deep seated curiosity in his gaze, which he had fixated solely on Sweet Pea, who was now flexing and unflexing his fingers against his biceps. She watched the silent exchange that seemed to be happening with arched brows instead of words.

The two men both had very dominant personalities; they were similar in a lot of aspects. It’s what made them good friends, but it also meant they challenged each other a lot. Betty wondered if they would even be able to share.

As she mused about the details, she tried not to picture all of them naked and failed miserably. While she was fighting her burning cheeks, she almost missed Sweet Pea’s reply.

“I said yes, because I do. Who the fuck knows when that happened,” he sighed, eyes shutting as he leaned back against the couch, head turned up to the ceiling. “Somewhere between you being there for me when no else was and listening to you fuck your girlfriend in the next room for a week straight after we moved in.”

“Sweet Pea!” Betty squeaked out, unable to control her mouth.

He glanced at her with a smirk before turning away.

Her cheeks were burning hot and she turned to Jughead with her hands clapped over them.

He was still staring at Sweet Pea, eyes narrowed with focus and contemplation. The silence stretched until it was close to a breaking point, then he nodded his head. “Okay, yeah. Makes sense I guess. We’ve had each other’s backs for a long time now. I get it,” he paused then, eyes darting to Betty. “I do think Betts is a little louder than I am though,” he chuckled, and she wanted to wither away from the heat of his gaze.  

“Yeah, Ducks always steals the show.”

Betty wanted to scream but settled instead for jumping off the couch and taking off down the hallway. Jughead’s fingers almost caught her wrist, but she disappeared behind the bathroom door then slammed it shut. She leaned against the sink, eyes following the flush on her face all the way down to the tops of her breasts.

“Come on, Betty don’t be mad,” Sweet Pea called through the door.

She shook her head, though they couldn’t see it. “I’m not mad you _goose._ That was just _embarrassing_.”

Betty turned the water on and let the cold tap flow over her fingers. She cupped her hands then splashed some cool water against her face and neck. It soothed the burn for a moment and she leaned over the sink, eyes closed.

Every time she’d had sex with Jughead in this apartment ran through her mind like a picture show — all the times Sweet Pea would have got an earful, whether intentionally or not, of both of them. She felt guilty again.

Had she even asked if he liked her? She had kind of assumed it, but she hadn’t asked directly in the same way she did about Jughead.

“Sweet Pea…” she called, hesitantly. There was a shift against the door, like someone was leaning against it.

“I’m still here.”

She took a deep breath, her stomach clenching. Betty thought she already knew the answer to her question, but she had to hear it. “Do you like me? Romantically?”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Of course I do."

There was a breath of relief that settled her stomach. “And you’re sexually attracted to both of us?”

“Yes,” his reply was immediate, once again.

It sparked something inside her. A feeling was growing, festering, building from a tiny ember born of the ashes of her latent thoughts thrown to the wind.

And suddenly she couldn’t stop picturing all three of them without clothes, the two of them focusing on her. They made her flustered when they ganged up on her like this; how was it going to be when they had sex?

It had taken her awhile just to get used to the attention Jughead placed on her.

Her entire childhood she had lived in Polly’s shadow, forced to do the same things and then berated when she wasn’t as good and ridiculed when she was better. Nothing she had ever done was enough for the Coopers. Then she focused years of attention on an overinflated, unreciprocated crush on Archie, which decimated what was left of her self esteem.

She lost a lot of time ignoring the one person who _was_ interested and did see value in her.

Betty had a lot of deep seated anxiety and self-worth issues that she was still working through.

“Where’s Jug?” she asked, sitting on the closed toilet seat after turning the sink off.

“Right here,” his familiar voice was soothing, knuckles rapping against the wood in a familiar tune.

Chewing her lip, Betty looked down at her hands. She opened her palms, eyes finding the little silvery grooves of her scars. Her fingers shook a little and she tightened them into fists. Her nails pressed in for a quick moment before she was smoothing them against her knees, standing quickly.

She wrenched open the door to Sweet Pea straightening up from where he had been leaning against it.

Her eyes flickered between him and Jughead; they were standing side by side in the doorway both looking down at her like lost puppies. Jughead had shed his leather jacket and both of their forearms were on display, t-shirts stretched across broad shoulders and—

“I want us to date. All of us,” she blurted suddenly, arms looping to hug herself as she felt inherently small standing in front of them. “I want to try.”

Jughead’s hands grabbed her forearms from her body and then scooped her up against him, lifting her onto her tiptoes. “I meant it when I said I’d do anything for you, Betty, so of course we’ll try. But I think I’d like to try this for me too.”

She smiled into his shoulder, face turned toward Sweet Pea. He wore an awed expression, his mouth slightly ajar as he blinked at Jughead. His hand had paused mid reach towards her and she tugged, pulling him in. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped one arm securely around her back and the other across Jughead’s shoulders, drawing them all closer together.

“I think I’m getting a pretty good bargain out of this,” Sweet Pea deflected his surprise with a smirk and a joke. “Two for the price of one?”

Jughead’s eyes rolled so hard she heard it, while she let out a laugh. “I think we’re all getting a pretty sweet deal.” Betty gave a nonchalant shrug, making eye contact with Sweet Pea for a shared moment of connection.

They all unraveled from each other; Betty tugged on both of their hands and moved toward the kitchen. “Okay, let’s cover some more logistics over food."

“That’s not fair,” Jughead grumbled but followed obediently with Sweet Pea.

And so, they continued like they normally did in any other day that they ate together. They made their plates and Jughead showed off his skills with the chopsticks. Eating on the couch like usual, they balanced their plates in their laps and turned on the same show they’d been watching on Thursday.

Everything was exactly the same, yet so inherently different.

Betty was tuned in and aware of every single time Sweet Pea so much as moved. Her muscles were tense and rigid, but she relaxed when he _did_ touch her. It was pins and needles waiting to see what he would do.

Then, on her other side, the soothing press of Jughead’s thigh against hers was a constant reminder that he was still there and hadn’t clocked out. He hadn’t left her.

It was a bit of an internal battle, trying to decipher what this new normal was going to be that they were falling into. This was uncharted territory and it made her stomach flutter with nerves.

The only other logistics she had actually ended up mentioning while the boys were loading their plates was that they should take things slow. This was going to be an adjustment period for all of them, and communication would always be key.

Betty felt an overwhelming desire to knock the plates out of their hands and kiss them both. But, Chinese food breath stopped her.

Plus, she thought Jughead still needed some time to process before he witnessed her kissing Sweet Pea. On the other hand, she felt like she wouldn’t be able to kiss him in the first place without Jughead around either. It was a double-edged sword and she found herself sinking into the couch, feeling like she weighed a thousand pounds.

Standing, Betty brought her plate back to the kitchen. It was only half-eaten, so she stretched some plastic across it and placed it, with the rest of the leftover food, in the fridge. Her brain felt a little foggy; she filled up a glass with water, downing it quickly. Her eyes clenched shut and she leaned against the counter as her belly twisted uncomfortably.

She shuffled back toward the hallway, quiet and moving slowly, before heading into Jughead’s bedroom. Laying down on the bed, she curled into a ball and buried her head in the pillow. Even though her weekend had been spent in bed, she still felt exhausted.

It wasn’t long before the bed dipped and a palm rested on her back. “Betty?”

She brought a fabric covered fist up to wipe away the wetness on her cheeks, not sure when she had started to cry. “Yeah?”

“Is everything okay?” Jughead asked, his hand moving from her low back up to her shoulders, brushing her hair away from her neck. His fingers carded through the strands in soothing motions and she gave a little sigh, closing her eyes.

“Yes… no. Sort of,” she sucked in a breath, “I don’t know.”

“Did you change your mind about…”

“No!” she exclaimed, eyes popping open as a feeling of panic took hold at the thought. “No, I haven’t. I’m just thinking too hard about all the small details and how things are going to work when… I can’t plan something like this. I just have to let it happen,” Betty rolled onto her back then turned her head toward Jughead.

He took hold of her hand and laced their fingers together, giving her the small smile that he reserved only for her. “Like I said, we’ll figure it out together.”

Wiping her cheek with her free hand, she closed her eyes again. “Thanks Juggie,” she murmured, letting the quiet encompass them as he traced small patterns into the skin of her arm. “I’ll come back out in a minute.” She squeezed his hand before letting go of him.

“Alright, we’ll let you pick a movie this time. Just nothing with Jennifer Lawrence.”

“What? She’s a good actress!”

She watched his eyes roll as he backed out of the room. “Don’t fall asleep in here, or you’ll owe us,” he warned, pausing at the doorway. A mischievous twinkle in his eyes matched the small smirk playing on his lips.

Betty scrunched her nose up and stretched her arms and legs out against the mattress. “Unlikely,” she responded, struggling to hold back a yawn.

“I mean it, Betty.”

“Yeah, I hear you,” she waved him away as her eyes fluttered closed. She could nap for a few minutes and then go back out there. No harm in that.

As she curled onto her side again, the Chinese food in her belly felt like like a lead weight. It pulled her down to a dreamless sleep with ease.

Next thing she knew it was morning.

“Damn it,” she groaned, hands rubbing away the sleep from her eyes. It was dark but one look at the clock told her it was six am. Turning her head, she found Jughead asleep beside her. She watched him for a moment, listening to his quiet breaths of air.

Getting up, she stripped from her t-shirt and jeans before she realized her bag wasn’t in the room. With a small groan and goosebumps breaking out along her arms, Betty tip-toed out into the hallway and over to the kitchen. She hooked the handles of the yellow bag over her fingers and then walked quickly to the bathroom.

Thankfully, today, she had the bathroom all to herself.

She couldn’t help but think about Thursday night, it was a given and she supposed it would always be a prominent memory to her now. It was what had started everything that had happened since, after all. But she shook the images in her head away, pulling a new set of clothes from bag and setting them on the sink edge.

Discarding the rest of her undergarments, Betty stepped under the spray of hot water. The stream felt good raining down on her back and shoulders, she was stiff and aching from far too much sleep since this had all began. While the steam filled the room,she felt herself relaxing; she browsed the selection of body wash and shampoos on the hanging caddy.

Her finger ran over the labels of the ones she had bought over time and kept here: vanilla cupcake, strawberry seduction, lavender with cotton candy, and apple with guava soaps sat beside an ocean salt scrub. Moving up a shelf, her eyes roamed the small selection of products the guys used.

Jughead was always partial to one specific eucalyptus and rainwater soap while Sweet Pea was still working through the bottle of white tea and bergamot she had gotten him for Christmas.

Her fingers tapped against both bottles before she decided to put a squirt of each in her hand. She used one finger to swirl the two gels into a mixture before rubbing her hands together to create a lather. Washing with the combination, she soaped her body and revelled in the fresh scent that was reminiscent of visiting Eversgreen Forest after it rained.

She washed her hair with one of her bottles then lingered under the warmth. The water rushed down over her head and surrounded her in blissful white noise for a few more minutes before she reluctantly turned the tap off. Betty stepped out of of the shower and dried off with a dark colored towel. She twisted her hair up into it while she dressed in the outfit she’d laid out.

Watching herself in the mirror, she smoothed the royal purple velvet against her thigh, tugging the hem down a little further. She had tucked a white ruffled camisol into the skirt and then pulled on a light grey cardigan. She turned around and checked out her backside before pulling a pair of sheer black stockings out of her bag to pull up her legs for a bit of extra warmth in the chilly morning air.

Since her hair was wet, Betty decided to leave it down. She finger combed through the locks then applied the small amount of makeup she wore on a daily basis.

When she was finished, she left a sticky pink kiss on Jughead’s forehead who rubbed at it in his sleep. She didn’t feel comfortable enough to go into Sweet Pea’s room but she kissed her fingers before pressing them to the wood of the door as she whispered through it. “See you later, Sweets.”

And then with a deep breath, she left the two slumbering boys to reluctantly start her day.

Her stomach grumbled on her walk over to the college so she stopped for a bagel and a coffee from the cafe. She sipped her drink and munched on the bagel, slathered with strawberry jam, and walked her way to the library to study a bit before her first class of the day.

It was going to be a long class, the first of many. Monday’s were always her most stressful day of the week, she had four classes in total and hardly any time to grab lunch in between two of them.

By the end of the day her hair was a bit frizzy and her lip gloss was long gone, even after several applications.

She stopped back at her house while her mother was still at work and picked up a couple more pairs of shoes, a jacket, and a few more items to make various outfits with. After contemplating getting a ride back to the apartment, she ultimately decided to walk. It wasn’t really that far and it had warmed up considerably outside.

However, when she passed Pop’s, she couldn’t resist stopping for a milkshake. She sipped on it the rest of the way there, sweet vanilla perking her up after the absence of much lunch.

She dropped the empty plastic cup in a trashcan before trudging up the stairs to the second floor of the apartment building that was close to the old drive-in. Jughead was still bitter that he could see the never developed construction site from their living room window.

Pulling her purse and bookbag from her shoulders, she rolled them a bit as she slid the key in the lock. After closing the door behind her and almost tripping out of her converse, she dropped her bags on the table and stopped short in the middle of the kitchen.

Someone had moved one of the kitchen chairs to face the couch, in front of the TV. She walked over but before she could touch it, a hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes widened and she immediately brought her hands up to grip at the arm across her chest.

“You left without waking me this morning.”

Betty shivered at the hot breath against her ear and relaxed back into Jughead’s chest. She tried to look at him out of the corner of her eye, but could only see the edges of his beanie.

She tapped on his hand to get him to let go, but his hand stayed firmly in place.

“And you fell asleep last night, just like you said you wouldn’t,” he breathed deeply against her neck, nuzzling her with his nose. It was a sharp contrast to the gruff tone he was speaking in and the grip he had on her.

“Did you use my soap this morning?” he asked and then she felt his sharp inhale at her neck. “You smell like Sweet Pea too. Fuck,” he murmured against her before his tongue lapped at the column of her throat as he tilted her head back. She felt the slow grind of his hips at her low back. He was already hard.

She tried to speak, but it came out muffled by his hand. Growing frustrated, Betty licked his palm to see if that would get him to let go.

If his growl in her ear was any indication, she didn’t think it worked.

His other hand ran up the length of her thigh, disappearing under the hem of the skirt to find the curve of her bottom. “Remember when I said you’d owe us?”

Furrowing her brow, she held onto Jughead’s arm as she tried to recall the previous evening, before she fell asleep. She hesitantly shook her head and was awarded a smack to her backside that had her gasping, eyes widening further.

“We talked it over and decided on something, if you’re interested.” Sweet Pea’s voice came from their left and Jughead turned then, pulling her with him against his chest. His hand curved over her hip, inching toward her underwear.

Blinking, she watched as Sweet Pea rolled the sleeves of his flannel up to his elbows. His eyes were dark and he had the same dangerous look she recognized from the night in the bathroom. He brushed his thumb across his lower lip; her eyes trained on the small lines inked there.

Her face went hot, flames licking their way down her spine and curling in her belly. His eyes traced the line of her legs up to where Jughead’s hand still had her skirt pulled way up her thigh.

“What do you say Betts, up for a little fun?” Jughead spoke behind her, finally letting his palm drop from her mouth, releasing his hold on her.

She gulped a mouthful of air as she stepped forward, tugging her skirt back into place with burning cheeks. Between the both of them, she wasn’t sure who to answer directly.

She was ready to squirm and wanted to squeeze her legs together. Her belly already tingled at the way their presence commanded the room, playing off each other.

Jughead pulled the beanie off his head, tossing it onto the coffee table before crossing his arms.

“Yes, I mean okay, I—If you’re both — yes, I’m up for it,” she stammered her agreement, pushing past her insecurities as she shivered with anticipation. Her fingers twisted in her skirt and she looked between them, “Just, um, tell me what to do.”

Sweet Pea grinned, eyes lighting up with excitement. He seated himself in the chair and Jughead sat opposite him on the couch. His voice was low and demanding as he spoke, “First things first — take off all your clothes.”

Her breath got stuck in her throat, watching as Sweet Pea leaned back in the chair, looking at her expectantly through his dark lashes. She turned her head to Jughead, who motioned for her to go on.

As she took a steadying breath, her brain was whirling a mile a minute. She was half afraid her knees were visibly shaking. Bringing her hands up to her cardigan, Betty popped the button at her chest and shrugged it off, dropping it to the floor with trembling fingers.

The room felt hot, her cheeks were burning under both pairs of eyes and they made her incredibly timid and aroused in equal parts. She chewed on her lip as she turned and propped a leg up on the coffee table. Her fingers disappeared under the purple velvet, looping over the edge of her stocking and pulling.

Betty watched the way Jughead’s eyes were drawn to her legs, following the reveal of smooth skin. He always loved to have them wrapped around his waist — she had to bite her lip and swing her attention toward Sweet Pea.

This was entirely new territory for them. Sure, he had seen her in shorts and the other night in just her underwear, but today she was stripping because he told her to. It was both nerve-wracking and enthralling at the same time to watch his reactions. The way he cupped his hands tightly together, when she pulled her skirt up to her hip to reach her other stocking, thrilled her.

Once her legs were bare, she turned to face Jughead. She crossed her arms at the waist of her shirt, fingers plucking it up and drawing it over her head. She hadn’t worn a bra underneath.

His eyes roamed her chest appreciatively, narrowing as more of her body was revealed.

His fingers clutched the edge of the sofa and Betty wondered if he was going to be able to control himself.

She looked over her shoulder at Sweet Pea, brushing her hair away so he could see the expanse of her back. She bit her lip again, watching the way his eyes drew up at the action. He looked like he wanted to jump up and pull her towards him, crash their mouths together and put his hands on every part of her, map her body with tongue. She shivered under his hungry gaze, sure that her entire body was flushed by now.

Betty shimmied the purple skirt down her hips, stepping out of it and turning so they could both see her profile. She drew her hand down between her breasts slowly, finally hooking one finger under the band of her pink cotton underwear. She wished she’d worn something lace, in hindsight, but she really had no way of knowing this was going to happen.

Pulling the underwear slowly down her legs, she stepped out of them as she glanced between both men. Her voice was soft and cracked when she spoke, “Um, now what should I do?”

Not quite sure what to do with her hands, she folded them behind her back as they both drank her in. She watched their eyes meet for a minute in silent communication before Jughead looked at her and tapped a hand against his thigh.

“Sit in my lap and spread your legs, facing Sweet Pea.”

His voice was smooth, like the velvet of her skirt, but with enough of an edge to feel like a knife tip pressing against her skin. Her thighs rubbed together unconsciously, while her body felt engulfed in flames.

Betty walked toward him, bolstered by his gentle nod and the smooth caress of his thumb over her hip bone as he encouraged her to turn around. Looking down at the floor, she tried to remember to breathe as Jughead helped her into his lap.

He hooked her legs on the outside of his knees, pulling her back against his chest with an arm around her waist. She leaned back, hands balanced on his thighs, head dropping to his shoulder. Jughead’s fingers danced across the skin of her thighs and up between her breasts to cup one in his palm.

A small moan escaped her lips, eyes clenching shut as he widened his legs, effectively opening hers to Sweet Pea’s view.

“Fuck, Betty.” She heard him groan, the wooden chair creaking as he shifted.

The sound traveled all through her and as she tried to squeeze her legs together Jughead pulled them further apart.

Cupping her breast, he kneaded lightly as he retracted his other arm from her waist to hold onto her hip. His mouth was at her ear, “Now, you’re going to listen to Sweet Pea and do exactly what he says, understand?” He pinched her nipple between his fingers, pebbling it into a hard peak that had her back arching.

“A—ah, of course,” she answered, straightening up when his fingers left her. Her eyelashes fluttered open and she watched as Sweet Pea twirled the ring on his middle finger, around and around. He shifted forward in his chair, clearing his throat then turning his attention raptly to her eyes.

“Betty…” he started, and her legs trembled at the way he said her name. It didn’t help that Jughead had begun to run his fingers over the swell of her hips and curve of her thighs. “I want you to take your index and middle finger and suck on them. Make them nice and wet, just like if you were sucking Jughead’s cock.”

She raised her hand, licking her fingers before taking them into her mouth. Sliding her tongue around them, Betty wet both fingers like he wanted. Releasing them with a pop, she waited.

“Good girl. Now I want you to touch your clit. Nice, slow circles. This is your punishment after all.”

Her pussy was fully spread open by Jughead’s splayed knees, she dipped her fingers down against her clit, sliding over it easily.  A rush of passion flickered through her veins like lightning, and she whimpered.

Jughead’s clenched her hips in a tight, bruising grip. “Don’t come until he says you can, Betty.”

Eyes focused between her legs, Sweet Pea smirked at that. “You know, there were so many things that I wanted to do you that night in the bathroom,” he paused and so did her fingers.  “Don’t stop,” he instructed sharply and she jumped a little.

Jughead chuckled quietly as his hands smoothed over Betty’s thighs.

Her fingers started again, the pads circling her clit in slow, rhythmic motions.

Adjusting his erection, that strained against his jeans, Sweet Pea spoke again. “But I was really disappointed I couldn’t see your pretty pink pussy.” His tongue darted out to wet his lip as Betty’s breath hitched, her fingers moving faster.

“I watched your hand disappear under that tiny scrap of lace and I dreamt about tearing those fucking underwear off with my teeth.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, the feral look in Sweet Pea’s eyes was overwhelming when  combined with the glide of Jughead’s hands over her sides. His fingers grazed the undersides of her breasts, not quite touching, sending her abdominals into contraction.

“I want you to slide your fingers into your cunt. I bet you’re dripping wet for us.”

Doing as he instructed, Betty moaned loudly as her fingers slid in. It wasn’t enough though, never enough.

“When I heard you moan like that I about came right then. It’s one thing hearing you moan while Jughead fucks you, but hearing you moan for me was like music to my ears. I knew I wanted you, but I hadn’t realized just how much until then.”

She was waiting, biting her lip. Opening her eyes again, she watched Sweet Pea lean forward, elbows on his knees as he admired her with pupils blown wide. “Pump your fingers like you did the other night,” he urged, pressing his palm over his closed fist. “I bet you were imagining Jughead’s cock filling you up again, or maybe even mine.”

Pumping her fingers in and out of her pussy, Betty couldn’t help but moan his name. “Sweet Pea,” tumbled softly from her lips as she rocked her hips forward.

Jughead, behind her, growled in her ear, teeth nipping at her lightly. “Louder.”

His demand sent tingles down her spine, coiling in her belly and blooming into something indescribable. She whimpered before moaning Sweet Pea’s name again, louder than before.

“Stop,” Sweet Pea called out.

Hesitating for a second, she stilled, fingers still lost in her pussy. She felt herself clench around them, wanting more.

“I swear I got harder after you came into the bathroom. And knowing Jughead just came inside you was fucking me up, Betty. I wanted to bury my tongue between your thighs.”

She was panting now, waiting while her walls clenched continuously around her fingers. “Please,” she stuttered out, breathlessly.

“Move those fingers up to your nipples, circle them like you did your clit.”

That wasn’t what she wanted and Betty sighed, tilting her head back into Jughead’s shoulder as her fingers drifted up to her chest.

“Look at me,” Sweet Pea demanded in a growl.

Her head snapped back up immediately, stomach clenching. A pleasant pang of guilt washed over her that had her wishing he would come punish her. She was distracted by the way Jughead had shuddered at her back. His hips ground up against her ass and she could feel his cock, hard and throbbing against her through his jeans.

She bit her lip, eyes focused on Sweet Pea as her fingers circled her nipple, leaning forward a bit. Her other hand twisted in the fabric at Jughead’s leg, tugging ruefully. Betty delighted when he groaned at her ear, hips rocking against her again.

“Pinch your nipple between your fingers and tug,” Sweet Pea instructed, her fingers following suit.

They slid against her skin delightfully, sending warm waves of pleasure surging through her spine as she rolled her nipple back and forth, tugging.

“Now, suck on your fingers again. Tell me how you taste.”

Betty flicked her nipple, delighting in the way he narrowed his eyes at her, before raising her fingers. She licked up the length of them before sucking them into her mouth. She moaned, eyes half-lidded as she sucked them clean.

“Tangy and _sweet_ ,” she purred, fingers spreading wetness against her lips then trailing down between her breasts. The way his dark eyes devoured every inch of her bare skin left her a sizzling mess. Hps rocking forward, she whimpered, her hand hovering at her belly.

Jughead bucked up underneath her, jolting her into another moan as she pressed her ribs forward. His hands were at her hips again, sliding dangerously around to her front, barely brushing her clit with fleeting passes.

“I can’t wait to get your mouth on my cock. I’ve been imagining what both sets of your pretty pink lips would look like wrapped around me.”

Sweet Pea’s voice had lowered and his tone edged her into a shaking mess as Jughead circled her clit with a broad stroke.

“Now, fuck yourself while Jughead rubs your clit.”

She dropped her hand down the rest of the way, curling her fingers inside her pussy. Betty slid them in and out while Jughead alternated between circling her clit and rubbing it between his fingers in a light pinch that had her lifting up from his lap in a gasp.

“Slow down,” Sweet Pea commanded and they did.

Jughead’s hand drifted away and settled back over her hip as he blew lightly into her ear. “Are you enjoying this?” he breathed against her.

Her brain tried to fight the fog of desire and form a more coherent answer than a nod of her head. “Y—yes,” Betty squeaked out, her fingers still slowly dipping in and out of her pussy.

“Good. I’m enjoying watching you fall apart at his words. What do you think it’s going to be like when his cock is inside you?” Jughead whispered into her ear at the same time that Sweet Pea gave the order to move her fingers up to her clit.

“Do you want us both at the same time? Or maybe I’ll eat you out while he fucks you.” Jughead nipped at her ear again and she started rocking her hips faster against her hand.

“Juggie,” she cried out then started to beg, “Please, please, _please_ , Sweet Pea.”  Her head snapped back to Jughead’s shoulder.

Suddenly, there were fingers hooked under her jaw, pulling it back upright, keeping her chin tilted up. She found herself slack jawed as Sweet Pea stared down at her, his face so close to hers that she could feel his breath fanning her face.

“Do you wanna come, Betty?” he asked, eyes traveling from her chest down to her fingers working her clit. He shared a look with Jughead over her shoulder and then their eyes met again.

“Yes,” she whimpered, every part of her body feeling much too hot and tightly wound. Her thighs were quaking and she wanted to scream.

“Then come,” he whispered, lips finding hers in a bruising first kiss.

Betty gasped into his mouth, her eyes squeezing shut as she raised her hand from Jughead’s thigh to grasp onto Sweet Pea’s flannel. Her hips snapped against her hand and she moaned into his mouth as stars burst behind her eyelids.

It felt like lava had moved slowly up her limbs to gather at her core, then expanded quickly up her spine until she was arching into his chest. Waves of pleasure pulsed through her body and she went from completely rigid to boneless in a matter of seconds.

Betty’s mouth opened and Sweet Pea’s tongue met hers, finding the taste of her pussy on her tongue with a growl.

Jughead had wrapped an arm around her hips to hold her down and she wondered if he knew she felt like she might float away. She felt his lips at her neck, pressing a tender kiss to her thrumming pulse point. It was her first taste of both their lips on her at once and her blood was already singing for more.

Musing, Betty decided that kissing Sweet Pea felt entirely sinful; in a way that she wanted to repeat, again and again. His hand cupped her face, thumb brushing over her cheek bone as he pulled back from her.

There was a sly smirk on his face as he straightened up, staring down at her.

Yeah, these two were going to kill her, she was sure of it. But she decided she wouldn’t want it any other way.

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter next week, still riding that steamy train. ;P
> 
> Talk to me on tumblr! I don't bite! [lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4! I hope you enjoy this one :)
> 
> This was beta'd by the lovely [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com), who is my bff, I LOVE HER. Check out her works on here! <3

Monday’s were officially her favorite day of the week.

 

Betty would always have a cerebral connection to the day now. Especially when she thought of a long, rough and draining school day followed by the pleasant relief that had awaited her at home. The last one had been blissful and sensual and she desperately wished she could come home to such a passionate welcome every Monday.

Of course, all she had to do was say the word and both Sweet Pea and Jughead would be more than willing to offer their services again, she was sure.

By the time their amorous encounter came to an end, with her staring up into Sweet Pea’s eyes, she fell forward into his chest, utterly exhausted. Her legs felt like jello and he literally had to pick her up and carry her across the room.

He’d tucked her into Jughead’s bed and she lay there dazed while the two boys went on to talk about _food._ Meanwhile, Betty could barely form a coherent thought. But she was aware of how sated and calm she felt, like her anxieties had all been swept away by an ocean's tide.

Later, when she managed to get out of bed, on still wobbly legs, she pulled on one of Jughead’s old t-shirts and a pair of lace underwear from her drawer in his dresser. Considering what they had done, she felt comfortable enough to walk around the apartment in far less clothing than she ever had before.

Making a pit stop in the bathroom, she washed her face, among other things, and ran a brush through her hair.

When Betty made it to the living room, she found Jughead asleep on the sofa. He was sitting up, head back, with an arm wrapped around a bowl of popcorn that rested precariously on the sofa arm. Sweet Pea’s head was on his thigh, though still awake, eyes half-open and glued to the tv.

Her heart bloomed like a flower uncurling on a sunny spring morning. She felt a flood of emotion and most of all, she wanted to squeal at how cute they looked. She settled for a silent clap of her hand over her heart, wishing she’d had her phone on her. Though, hopefully, this wouldn’t be the last time she saw something like this.

Sweet Pea didn’t notice her so she crept around to the kitchen as her belly gave a soft rumble.

After searching the cabinets and refrigerator, she came up nearly empty handed. She did find a box of Poptarts, and pulled one of the crinkly silver pouches out as quietly as she could.

“Betty?”

She gave a little defeated sigh and turned around.

Sweet Pea was sitting up on the couch gingerly, eyeing a sleeping Jughead. He stood up, rubbing his eyes lazily and walked towards her.

“Hi Sweets,” she smiled, watching the way his eyes fixated on her legs under the hem of the shirt around her thighs. Then he was reaching out, stealing the Poptart from her hands. “Hey,” Betty drew out in a whine, “That’s the last one. We desperately need to go grocery shopping.”

He opened the package and slid her one of the pastries, “Don't worry, I can share,” he smirked, biting into the strawberry treat. Leaning against the counter, he spoke around a mouthful, “And _we_ need to go grocery shopping?”

Tilting her head at him, Betty scoffed and bit into the Poptart, chewing carefully. “Are you and Jughead going to go by yourselves?”

Sweet Pea looked sheepish and she rolled her eyes. “You realize that I’m always bringing food here, right? Otherwise the cabinets would always be empty.” She took another bite before setting the rest down on the counter then sliding up to him.

He looked shocked for a second, almost choking on the mouthful he’d just hastily swallowed.

“I enjoyed what we did earlier,” Betty murmured, looking up at him through her eyelashes and fingering the hem of her shirt. “I’d really like it if you kissed me again, Sweets.”

His eyes searched hers, tongue darting out to lick the corner of his mouth. One of his hands came up to her jaw, finger tilting her chin up to angle her face towards his. He was a few inches taller than Jughead and her heart beat a little faster at the thought of winding her arms around his neck as he twirled her around.

“Anything for you, kitten,” he whispered, then he was leaning down and her eyes were fluttering closed.

He tasted like the strawberry Poptart they’d just eaten, sweet and fruity with something distinctly Sweet Pea underneath. His lips were gentle, applying a fleeting pressure that had her inching closer as she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt to draw him in.

His hand curled around her jaw, fingers spreading into her hairline and tugging.

Betty moaned into his mouth, her skin heating up as his other arm curled around the back of her thighs. Then he was lifting her, with one arm, and she squeaked against him.

Sweet Pea set her up on the counter, stepping in between her legs and nibbling on her lower lip. She sighed, her arms winding around his shoulders, holding him close while they traded kisses with increasing intensity.

The worries at the back of her mind were but a dull ache. Betty smiled as he pulled back and kissed her nose sweetly.

 

*

 

“No, we are not buying _Cookie Crisp_ cereal. That’s literally just a box of tiny cookies.”

“So, can we get a box of regular cookies then?”

Betty sighed, massaging her temple.

They had been grocery shopping for what felt like over an hour, when it had barely been 20 minutes. They hadn’t made it terribly far in the store, but she’d been fighting with both Sweet Pea and Jughead since they’d entered. Both of them kept throwing unnecessary things into the cart, reminiscent of children trying to get their way.

All of this began with a trip through the produce area, which she had been rushed through because Jughead didn’t want to look at the broccoli.

She had managed to get a package of strawberries and some apples into the cart, at least. But nothing very green.

“I guess so, just… just get some Oreos or something,” she waved a hand, watching Sweet Pea put the cereal back.

They managed to make it to the drink aisle and Betty was reading through the different flavors of vitamin water when Jughead dropped something in the cart. She peeked over and frowned when she saw a six pack of Red Bull. “What do you need that for?”

He smirked at her, “They’re for when you keep us up at all hours of the night with your insatiable sexual appetite.”

She was sure her face turned bright red. Her words were stuck in her throat and Betty looked around carefully to make sure there weren’t any other customers around.

“Very funny,” she hissed, poking her finger into his chest before she glanced down the aisle toward Sweet Pea, who was bundling several bags of various chips in his arms to bring back to the cart. Looking back at Jughead, she smiled sweetly, “For someone who wakes _me_ up at odd hours of the night with your hand down my underwear, yeah, sure — I’m insatiable.”

His eyebrows raised at that, practically disappearing into his beanie. Then something in his expression turned dark and wiped the smirk that had been growing on her face clean off.

Jughead leaned into her, fingers grasping her chin with firm pressure. Her eyes widened and he turned her chin in the direction of Sweet Pea, his breath against her ear. “Not just my hand anymore, Betts.”

His teeth grazed her earlobe, sending a wave of heat straight to her groin that had her thighs quivering.

He pulled back, giving her a wink and a brush of his nose before she was watching his back as he walked toward Sweet Pea. Blinking, she brought a hand to her cheek — skin like a brand against her palm.

Betty grabbed her waters, with a huff, throwing them in the cart haphazardly. She left them behind, heading for the frozen aisle with ulterior motives to cool down as well as to grab some things for the freezer.

Once she was in front of the dairy, looking at a can of whipped cream, she realized something.

They were buying groceries for Jughead and Sweet Pea’s apartment, not _their_ apartment. Her heart ached a little and she dropped the can into the cart, a little disheartened. She didn’t want to invite herself to move in, especially when they were still dipping their toes into this new relationship, but she really didn’t want to go home either.

Jughead’s hand waved in front of her eyes, bringing her attention up to where he was standing in front of the cart. He held up a can of cinnamon rolls, a pleading look on his face. Betty gave him a nod and he dropped the can into the full cart, primarily consisting of items they didn’t need.

He rested his hand on her lower back as they continued walking through the store. The press of his fingers through her shirt was enough to make her feel the tiniest bit better.

Then, she had to knock a rather large box of condoms out of Sweet Pea’s hands, who had exclaimed very loudly that ‘they were going to need this,’ with burning cheeks.

“I can’t go anywhere with you two, children, I say,” she mumbled under her breath, steering the cart away from them at a fast pace.

“Oh, come on, peanut. We’ll treat you to something extra special when we get home. Promise.” Sweet Pea winked, throwing an arm around Jughead’s shoulders.

He raised his eyebrows in question, turning his chin toward Sweet Pea, “We will?”

Sweet Pea whispered something in Jughead’s ear that had him smirking lowly.

Deciding she didn’t like it when they teamed up, because it seemed to get her into precarious situations, Betty narrowed her eyes with a playful frown. But somehow, the powers that be had deemed it so. Not that she was _really_ complaining.

She couldn’t help staring at the picture of them like that, practically wrapped up in each other. His mouth at Jughead’s ear — her cheeks were suddenly burning, like someone had struck a match against her skin.

After yesterday's exploration into the sexual side of this new relationship, she’d realized she had a thing for words. Between what Jughead had already been doing when they had sex and Sweet Pea’s voice that seemed to haunt her, delightfully, she was curious.

Their matching expressions, dark eyes watching her hotly, had her squirming from the checkout line to their arrival at home.

As soon as Betty had closed the refrigerator on the last of the groceries, Jughead had crowded her against the door, pressing her back against the smooth surface. Her head tilted back as his lips found her neck, hands landing on her hips and sliding under her shirt. Warm palms slid smoothly against her skin, his fingers squeezing her waist as he nibbled at the area just below her ear. Her eyes slid closed, a soft sigh falling from her lips.

“Juggie…” she whispered, her hands gripping his biceps, fingernails digging into the soft flannel.

Suddenly, there was more weight pushing against her and Betty opened her eyes to come face to face with Sweet Pea. He was pressing against Jughead’s back, one arm reaching around him to find her hip and squish them all closer together.

“Can’t let you guys have all the fun,” Sweet Pea said hotly, breath fanning against Jughead’s neck as he leaned over his shoulder.

Rich brown eyes watched her as his other arm wrapped around Jughead’s middle, between them, who shuddered and pressed closer to her. She felt his cock, hard against her belly.

“So about that treat… what did you have in mind? I did put up with an awful lot today,” Betty inquired, impressed that her voice didn’t sound as raw as her throat felt.

“Well, I thought maybe Sweet Pea would like to touch you today,” Jughead said, chuckling at the “yes please" in his ear from the other man. His own hand drifted down from the curve of her waist to finger the edge of her jeans, popping the button open.

She sucked in a breath when Sweet Pea’s hand replaced Jughead’s fingers, tracing slowly from the edge of her underwear up her side, brushing against the juts of her ribs. “O—okay, let’s… um, bedroom?” she managed to squeak out.

“Last one there is in the middle!” Sweet Pea crowed, pushing Jughead against her chest. He walked backwards with a wink before disappearing.

She blinked, attention swiveling back to Jughead as he tried to decipher what that meant. She furrowed her brow and then realized at the same that Jughead did, his eyes widening.

Betty rolled her eyes and lightly shoved him away from her so that he could scramble down the hallway.

Leaning back against the cool metal, she placed her hands over her cheeks. Her fingers were trembling; she took a deep, steadying breath. There was a litany of butterflies in her stomach, fluttering and quivering. A thousand thoughts raced through her head about how this should go, what she should do, what she _shouldn’t_ do, and a million more along the same lines.

Taking one step forward felt like a mile.

_Is this really happening?_

For some reason, this felt much different than their encounter on the couch.

Though, she didn’t have much more time to think about anything that might have her bolting for the door instead of the two sexy men waiting for her. Sweet Pea was turning the corner back into the kitchen, a no-nonsense, pointed look on his face that had her breath hitching.

Then, before she could blink, he was bending down, wrapping his arms around her knees, and throwing her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. “Sweet Pea!” She squeaked out, hands unable to grab hold of anything but the waist of his jeans, considering he’d already abandoned his shirt.

Betty received a courtesy smack to the ass that had her biting her lip.

“I could hear you thinking from the bedroom. Figured you needed rescuing, princess,” he said, arm tightening around the backs of her thighs as he turned carefully and started back down the hallway.

The blood was rushing to her head and she watched through her curtain of blonde hair as the tile switched to carpet. Her heart raced more with each step that she bobbed along with.

They crossed the threshold to the bedroom, and the breath she’d been holding left her body when Sweet Pea set her feet back down on the floor. Jughead was sitting on the bed, to her left, looking at her intensely. She could see the worry for her swirl in his steely blue eyes and with shaking fingers, she suddenly pulled the pale pink sweater over her head. It dropped to the floor and two pairs of eyes were on her chest in an instant.

The pristine, white lace bra she was wearing had a little pink bow in the middle that kept it tied together. “I think we’re all still a little overdressed, don’t you think?” Betty said with a small, coy smile.

Sweet Pea looked her up and down, eyes lingering where the curve of her waist dipped and the bow was dangling against her skin. Then he turned to Jughead, jutting his chin upward, “Let’s see that six pack, Edward Cullen.”

Betty couldn’t help the snort that escaped her; hand quickly clamping over her mouth as her arm looped over her quivering belly.

Looking absolutely murderous, Jughead’s eyes glinted dangerously as he pulled off his beanie and sent it sailing to the floor. He stood up and yanked on the back on his shirt, pulling it up over his head then throwing it at Sweet Pea. “Just an FYI, Christian Grey, I do _not_ sparkle.”

Sweet Pea scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, drawing Betty’s eyes to his forearms. “I am not some bad _Twilight_ fanfic knock-off.”

Sputtering, Betty’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How do you two even know about _Twilight_ and _Fifty Shades of Grey_? And let alone that they’re related?” Her eyebrows had raised considerably, forgetting for a moment that they all had their shirts off.

Jughead shrugged a shoulder lazily, “I was bored one day. Google’d what all the hype was about when Toni said something about Cheryl’s mom reading that book for the thousandth time. I went down a wiki rabbit hole.”

“And naturally, I was there too. He was making all kinds of faces at his laptop. So I got curious,” Sweet Pea added. His eyebrows raised as he looked at Betty. “Did you read that mommy porn?"

Her cheeks burned and she squirmed inside and out. “Maybe?”

Sweet Pea grinned then, “Anything in there that you’ve wanted to try, Anastasia?”

Wrinkling her nose up at the name, Betty shifted on her feet. “Me and Jug have already…” she trailed off and looked to Jughead, who was suddenly interested in a spot on the ceiling, for support.

“Woah, woah, woah — please, enlighten me,” Sweet Pea requested, looking like a kid in a candy shop.

Rolling her eyes, she fiddled with the hem of her pants, as if trying to distract him. His eyes flickered down when a flash of her fluorescent pink underwear came into view. He stepped closer to her, hooking a finger into one of the belt loops and tugged a little, exposing her hip and the high cut of the lace.

“Please,” he pleaded, tone saccharine but endearing at the same time.

“Just… just some light bondage. Jug’s tied my hands behind my back, and to the headboard a couple times. We’ve used ice cubes and some wax. He’s spanked —” She choked a little when his eyes lit up at her words, hand gliding down under her pants to the front of her underwear; she was soaked through the fabric already. Rubbing against her, he sent shockwaves like a tsunami through every nerve ending, and motioned for her to continue. “—spanked me several times. B—but that’s all.” Betty had to bite her lip to hold back to the moan bubbling in her throat.

“The spanking is her favorite,” Jughead chimed in, a wicked grin on his face. His tongue darted out to wet his lips as he watched Sweet Pea’s hands start to slide her jeans over the curve of her hips.

She threw Jughead a look, to which he held his hands up in mock surrender.

“All good information, don’t worry,” Sweet Pea said with a chuckle. His thumbs wiggled under the hem of her underwear, snapping it against her skin, which had her jumping a little and tilting her head back to look at him. “Maybe we’ll blindfold you later, tie your hands above your head, and see if you can guess which one of our tongues is in your pussy.” He winked at her, finally pulling her jeans down her hips and legs.

Betty would have stumbled, if not for his hands steadying her hips, as her foot got tangled up. His words reverberated through her body like a drum, ending with a clang as visions burst beneath her closed eyes. She imagined every word he said in action; tight rope around her wrists that burned pleasantly, the large hands on her hips, another set kneading her breasts, then a tongue plunging into her pussy, sending her back arching with a flood of wetness between her legs.

A shover, that had her biting her lip with a whimper, tracked slowly down her spine. Betty opened her eyes, glimpsing Sweet Pea’s smirk that had her swaying on her feet again. With a shake of her head, she thought for another moment on how enticing and cerebral that scenario could be, before decidedly pushing at his chest and putting some distance between them.

“ _Later_ sounds good,” pouting, she looked at them both, feeling goosebumps rise on her skin. “But _now_ , I think you two need to lose some more clothes.”

Sweet Pea’s eyes were still roaming the curve of her legs, but he snapped his attention to Jughead at her words. “Take his pants off then, Betts,” he demanded lowly, watching as Jughead turned toward her, waiting.

She stepped forward, reaching out for the waist of his jeans. Betty bit her lower lip, looking up at him through her lashes. Her fingers fiddled with the button, popping it open and then sliding the zipper down slowly.

The sound was loud in her ears, and she heard all of their breaths at different octaves filling the room. She could feel Sweet Pea’s eyes on them, watching and drinking in the moment. Her fingers brushed against the bulge of his cock, hidden by a pair of black boxer briefs. Jughead’s shudder and intake of breath helped her trembling fingers grow steadier.

Betty pulled at the waistband of his pants, stepping even closer to him so that she was tucked up under his chin. Her breath fanned against his collarbone as her hands slid the black jeans over his hips. Then, she lowered herself to the ground, knees hitting the carpet as she tugged the material down Jughead’s thighs. He watched her, blue eyes growing darker as his pupils got wider.

He stepped out of his jeans, and Betty placed her palms against his thighs. She leaned forward, her lips pressing a kiss to the front of the dark material still covering him. Jughead’s cock jumped under her touch and she smiled up at him. Her fingers inched up his hips and wiggled under the tight boxers, dragging them down over his tense and rigid thighs.

His sharp intake of breath was drowned out by the sound of Sweet Pea’s zipper. Turning her head, she watched over her shoulder as he pushed his jeans and boxers down in one fell swoop.

The air felt just as thick as it had in the bathroom, humid with tension that was so palpable Betty thought she might wave her fingers through it.

There wasn’t a glass door or steam separating them this time. Sweet Pea was much closer and she was able to take in everything about him. The dip of his hips and collarbones and his strong thighs made her shiver with want. The way his tattoo curled around the front of his hips, where it had disappeared from her view before, made her mouth dry. The intricate lines boldly stood out on his olive skin juxtaposed by the soft sweet pea flower that was inked into his ribs had her heart clenching. She caught sight of the Chinese symbols underneath but didn’t have time to lament on the meaning.

Jughead had grasped her chin between his fingers, turning her to him and tilting her head back. “Sit on the bed,” he said softly, eyes reflecting the storm of nerves that was still swelling in her belly.

Betty swallowed the lump in her throat as he helped her to her feet, guiding her with his hands on her waist, softly. Sitting on the bed, she set her hands on her knees for something to hold onto.

Settling on the bed to her right, Jughead’s fingers found her jaw again and pulling her into a kiss.

Her eyes fluttered closed and the roaring in her ears quieted a little, the familiar press of his lips was like a soothing balm. She whimpered when he nibbled on her lower lip, his other hand brushing against the underside of one of her breasts.

Then, she pulled away with wide eyes as Sweet Pea kneeled on the floor in front of her. He brought one hand to her ankle, wrapping his fingers around it delicately. She watched his eyes drop to where he was holding her, picking her foot up to press against his chest. Her breath caught in her chest as he traced the outline of the black and white snake inked into her skin. It’s lithe body curled and swirled around her ankle enticingly.

His eyes found hers again, there was something distinctly primal in his gaze that made her stomach clench tightly. The heat from his palm seared her skin as he slid it up and away from her Serpent tattoo, over her calf, and tickled the sensitive skin behind her knee. He pressed a kiss there, right above her knee on the inside of her thigh, that had her sighing. Betty moved her arms to support herself, palms flat on the duvet as she leaned back a bit.

Jughead brushed her hair over her shoulders, fingers playing with the pink bow at the center of her chest before slowly pulling on the end of it. His lips were at her ear, breath making her squirm to the edge of the bed towards Sweet Pea, whose hands roamed her legs, gliding effortlessly across her smooth skin as he wedged between her knees.

“Relax,” Sweet Pea said softly, as his hands pushed her wider apart.

Jughead pulled her ear lobe between his teeth, making her back arch up and away from his hands which finally pulled the bow loose. He pushed the straps down her shoulders and Betty helped toss it over the edge of the bed.

Her eyes closed as Sweet Pea’s hands ran up the insides of her thighs, sending her muscles into little quivers.

“Beautiful,” was the word that they both uttered, perfectly in sync.

Sweet Pea grazed his hand up her thigh, skimming over the curve of her hip. His fingers moved slowly up between her breasts. He laid his palm flat over her sternum, eyes finding hers.

Laying his hand over Sweet Pea’s, Jughead murmured, “Her heart is racing, isn’t it?” He tilted her head toward him and kissed her lips softly before pulling back, nuzzling his nose against hers in a way that had her heart singing.

“It’s literally beating through your chest, Wonder Woman,” Sweet Pea said with a smile, his fingers slid up to grip her chin and pull her in for a kiss.

As she leaned forward, her hands came to rest on his shoulders. His kiss tasted like spicy peppermint and nicotine; she craved more of it. Her tongue swiped at his and he gripped her jaw harder.

They traded open mouthed kisses before he gently pushed at her chest. Pulling back, he licked his lips and looked at Jughead then pressed her down against the bed.

She stared at the ceiling, hands falling to the duvet to grab fistfuls of it as Sweet Pea started to pepper kisses along her hip bones.

Turning onto his side, Jughead shifted closer to Betty and sought out her lips. He groaned into her mouth as his tongue met hers, tasting the remnants of Sweet Pea.

Betty’s hands found their way into Jughead’s hair as his lips moved onto her neck then down her collarbone. Her breathing became ragged as his fingers came up to her breasts. He cupped one in his hand, pinching her nipple into a hard pebble between his fingers.

A moan got stuck in her throat when her underwear was pulled tight against her throbbing pussy. She lifted her head to watch as Sweet Pea smirked up at her, his fingers hooked under the edge of the fabric.

Leaning forward, he held her gaze and breathed her in. He brushed his lips back and forth across her pussy before his tongue lapped at the wet material stretched over her.

The sensation between her legs flooded abruptly through her body and she began to shudder, collapsing back to the bed with her eyes clenched shut.

“Betty,” Sweet Pea started softly, his breath against the wet fabric making her rock her hips a bit. “Look at me,” he demanded suddenly.

Gasping, she hurried to sit up on her elbows, watching his eyebrows unfurrow when their eyes met. He licked at her clit again, sucking on her through her underwear. She squirmed under his tongue, which felt deliciously hot, insistent, and wet. But it wasn’t enough.

Jughead pinched her nipple then, pulling a low moan from her that had her eyes threatening to roll upwards. Then his hand moved down to her pussy, palm flattening against the fabric to grind against her clit. “Rip them,” he instructed, pulling his lips from the dark red mark he’d made against her collarbone.

Before Betty could protest, Sweet Pea had taken the sides of her underwear in his fists and ripped the lace in two different spots, pulling them from her easily. She was trying not to hold her breath, but they were regularly causing her to forget to breathe.

Jughead’s fingers rubbed against her then, circling her clit in a way that had her elbows shaking. They had barely touched her and she felt herself winding tight for a release, under both of their hands, that she’d been craving the minute they finished their first foray into sex on the couch.

“I—I’m —” she didn’t have time to warn them. The words turned into an exhalation as Sweet Pea’s tongue thrust into her pussy.

Betty let out a squeak of a moan, clamping her hand over her mouth, and fell back against the bed as she rocked her hips against Sweet Pea’s tongue. She closed her eyes and let the pleasure of euphoria wash over her in pleasant tingles that spread all the way to the tips of her toes.

Jughead stilled his fingers, looking down at her with dark eyes. Tutting, he pulled her hand from her mouth then pushed her wrist against the bed while he trapped her other arm between their bodies. “Just how many times do you think we can make her come, SP?” he asked darkly, eyes glinting in the light.

Sweet Pea had flattened his tongue against her pussy, licking upwards at her clit in a way that had her biting her lip. He chuckled against her rocking hips, his breath against her only making it worse.

“I’d say we’re off to a good start. She’s still shaking like a leaf. Bet I could get her again, easy.” His smirk raised goosebumps on Betty’s skin and she squirmed under his relentless gaze.

“Please,” she whimpered, not quite sure if she was begging for respite or for more.

Jughead’s fingers flexed against her wrist as he brought his mouth to her chest. He paved a line of barely there kisses from her collarbone to the curve of her breast. His lips closed around her nipple, warm and wet, sending heat straight to her belly.

The moan that started low in her throat bellowed from her chest when Sweet Pea’s lips minicked the same action around her clit.

“This isn’t fair,” she whined, convulsing, as her hips bucked upwards. Betty was rewarded with a pleasant nip to the sensitive skin of her breast, followed by a lazy swirl of tongue.

“Isn’t this what you imagined? Both of our hands on you. Our tongues,” Jughead drawled against her skin, warm breath fanning across her nipple.

Sweet Pea’s palms flattened against her hip bones, pinning her to the bed as he hummed against her in agreement. His tongue laved against her clit relentlessly.

“Y—yes,” came out as a gasp from her throat, her eyes clenching shut.

“Then don’t complain, unless you’d like us to stop…”

“No!” her eyes popped wide open, face flushed at the insistence of her exclamation.

Jughead smirked, eyes latching onto hers. “I didn’t think so. Now, tell me what you want us to do. You’re in control here, baby.” His words felt contradictory to her current position as he rested his chin demurely on her chest.

“I want — fuck —” The words were lost in her throat as Betty felt stars burst behind her eyelids, her orgasm had crept up on her like a sucker punch. Her knees shifted up, thighs squeezing against Sweet Pea as he continued to lap at her clit. His arms had looped around her hips and he pressed even closer to her as she ground against his face with stuttered motions.

Jughead kissed her sternum, before releasing her wrist and shuffling off to her side. She fell back against the bed, her arched back relaxing as she let go of the fistfuls of duvet she’d grabbed hold of.

Letting go of her hips, Sweet Pea stood from between her legs. He wiped his chin with the back of his forearm as he loomed over her.

Betty felt mortified at the sheen it left behind and snapped her knees shut in response.

His smirk slid into a frown, hand coming back down to rest on her leg. “Don’t do that,” Sweet Pea said softly.

The expression on his face made her heart aflutter as his fingertips gently circled her knee. Betty was still unsure of herself with this new set of eyes on her. The rich brown sweeping over her, with such appraisal, made her aware of her body from the darker roots of her hair down to her lavender painted toes.

After a moment she relaxed her legs, the quiver in her muscles making itself known again. There was the inherent possibility that she might feel like she’d run a marathon tomorrow when she woke; the kind of weakness that she craved.

“I want more,” Betty said, looking between them while gnawing on her lip.

Jughead scooted up on the bed, towards the pillows, and patted the space next to him invitingly.

Before she could lift her hips, Sweet Pea had scooped her up with his hands under her armpits. He hauled her up the bed with incredible ease, her head falling back on the pillow in a soft thump. She blinked and then Jughead was tugging on her hip, Betty rolled onto her side to face him compliantly.

The bed dipped and Sweet Pea pulled on her arms, she furrowed her brows until she realized what he was trying to accomplish. She helped fold her arms so that they lay in the curve of her back. When she was positioned, he climbed into the bed behind her, trapping her crossed arms against his abdomen. He was flush against her, the hard planes of his chest pressed into her upper back and his strong thighs curved against hers. His arm squeezed under her side, enveloping her in heat. Her skin felt like fire; flames licked down her spine and pooled in her belly as his lips touched her neck.

Jughead slid closer to her and she inhaled both of their scents, sighing dreamily. Her head pressed into the pillow as their breaths combed over her skin, making her squirm backwards.

Curling his other hand over her hip, Sweet Pea’s fingers flexed against her in a bruising grip. “You gotta stop that, Betty, or I’ll come right now,” he whispered into her ear, his hips grinding against her ass. His cock was hard and slid easily against her sweat-slicked skin.

She huffed, tilting her hips back again defiantly. Sweet Pea’s groan was worth the hard nibble she received on her ear in reprimand.

Her lips parted in a gasp and Jughead seized the opportunity to kiss her, tongue sliding in along hers. His hands roamed her front, cupping her breasts, sliding over her hips and thighs, flattening against her belly. His palm slid lower as he tugged her lower lip between his teeth.

Sucking at the skin under her ear, Sweet Pea nibbled his own dark mark there along with the ones her skin had already been painted with.

Jughead’s fingers ghosted over her slit before he pulled back from their kiss.

Betty’s eyes fluttered open, her breath coming out in a pant. “Touch me, Juggie.”

The look in his eyes was fierce and passionate, and he licked his lower lip. His palm pressed flat to her center before he jerked his chin over her shoulder. “Hold her open for me, SP.”

The hand on her hip let go to curl around her leg. Sweet Pea brought it overtop of his and hooked her knee over his thigh. “It would be my pleasure.” He licked at the strip of skin he’d just worked into a bruise at her neck.

His grin against her skin made her want to whack him upside the head. _Another time_.

Betty was thoroughly distracted by the way Jughead had immediately sunk two fingers into her pussy. The sudden intrusion had her head falling back into Sweet Pea’s shoulder, eyes clenched tightly shut as a strangled moan bubbled from her lips. “Shit, Jug —”

A hand clamped over her mouth and her eyes opened to meet Jughead’s. Dark, stormy blue stared at her so intently it made her shiver.

She took a slow breath through her nose, calculating that it wasn’t Jughead’s hand stifling her words, as his fingers were still moving with agonizing slowness inside her pussy. His other hand had slid under her neck to thread through Sweet Pea’s hair behind her. The soft sigh into her ear had her relaxing for a moment.

“Betty,” Sweet Pea said suddenly, catching her off guard. Her muscles turned rigid again, hips stilled against the hand working her pussy. “You know I want you to be loud, but we passed the neighbors on the way home. Don’t want them knocking the door down thinking we’re murdering you.” His hand dropped from her thigh to rest at her lower belly, hovering above Jughead’s pumping fingers.

Jughead leaned closer to her, nose nuzzling the side of her neck in a way that had her breath hitching. She watched from the corner of her eye.

His gaze found Sweet Pea’s, locking intensely. “Fuck them. I wanna make her scream.”

The air surrounding her felt like the static charge of a storm, sizzling and sparking with vibrant energy.

Jughead’s lips moved to the hand covering her mouth. He pressed a kiss to Sweet Pea’s knuckles. “Come on, Sweets,” he said huskily, eyes glittering with mischief.

The thought of the neighbors hearing them was surely enough to keep Betty quiet, but she had stilled completely during this exchange. She had been a bit worried about the mechanics between the two of them — if Jughead would ever feel the same connection, beyond friendship, to Sweet Pea that she did.

Seeing them interact like this, watching the way Sweet Pea’s hand drifted from her hip to curl over Jughead’s, had her breath hitching and chest vibrating. It was already going better than Betty thought it would.

“God, you two are even better than some of my wildest imaginations. My vixen and lothario; the both of you are going to kill me,” Sweet Pea said with a chuckle against her ear, as if he had read her mind like an open book. He dropped his hand from her mouth, down to her throat. His fingers curled around her neck, pressing in slightly, and he shifted so his arm was resting between her breasts at a more comfortable angle.

Jughead’s gaze filtered between the two of them before she felt him relax against her again, having gone a bit rigid at the hand on his hip.

Her fingers were tingling — itching with the incessant need to comfort and play and scratch her own marks into their skin. Or maybe her arms were just falling asleep.

Wiggling her bottom back against Sweet Pea, she cupped her elbows, fingers flexing. “Okay guys. _Do something_ now, please,” Betty pleaded in a frustrated huff. Even after two orgasms, she still felt the perpetual need for _more._

Jughead curled his fingers inside her then, making a come hither motion against the front wall of her muscles, purposefully massaging her g-spot.

As pleasure rushed through her, all she could do was blink and let herself fall limp into Sweet Pea’s chest, a babble of incoherent words falling from her lips.

“Is this _something_ enough for you?” Jughead asked, his thumb rubbing her clit with just slightly more than enough pressure to make her eyes water.

She could only nod vigorously, sucking in air through her nose when Sweet Pea’s grip on her throat increased with a subtle pressure. His cock was sliding against the cleft of her ass, hips bucking her further onto Jughead’s fingers.

Then suddenly, she was empty. But before she had time to think about protesting the loss, Jughead was guiding his cock into her.

The familiar stretch was a delightful welcome, and Betty practically pulled him in with clenching walls. “Fuck, Juggie —” she whimpered, her brain starting to feel foggy and dense. Her back arched against Sweet Pea, his lips at her ear whispering soothing words of encouragement about how she was such a good girl, taking all of Jughead’s cock. It had her panting even more.

She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. When Sweet Pea relaxed his hand on her throat, the rush of air to her lungs and head made her dizzy.

Jughead rocked his hips against her lazily, and she peeked an eye open at his growl.

Gripping Jughead’s hip, Sweet Pea was pushing and pulling at him, attempting to guide his thrusts into her.

“I’m not an invalid, SP.”

There was a snort from behind her. “I’m not doubting your fucking skills. She wants more, Jug. I’m just lending a helping hand,” Sweet Pea said, fingers flexing against the tan hip under his grip in a squeeze.

They continued this passive aggressive push and pull, like the back and forth of thunder and lightning. She supposed that made her the rain, helpless to do their bidding.

So much for her being in control.

She let out a huff of air before it was suddenly caught in her throat as Sweet Pea’s fingers touched her clit.

The combination was deadly — with Jughead thrusting at the just the right angle and Sweet Pea circling her clit with just enough pressure. She was moaning both their names; one after the other passed her lips in a mantra.

Her body writhed, back arching and muscles quivering before turning rigid. The light burst beneath her eyelids in bright rainbows of color. Her teeth sunk into her lip so harshly that there was a distinct tang of copper on her tongue.

Betty’s hips stuttered against Jughead, her walls clamping down on him as she reached her peak. She felt like sobbing — the pleasure almost too much for her to take. She rolled her hips to work through it, tossing her head from side to side.

Groaning, Jughead’s forehead fell against hers as his hips jerked erratically. “Jesus, Betty — I’m gonna come, fuck —” and he was pulling out of her.

Though she whined at the loss, Betty felt so sensitive that it was almost a relief. She watched with half-lidded eyes as he wrapped a hand around his cock, eyes bouncing between hers and Sweet Pea’s as he pumped himself. Then he was moaning, low and throaty, and her back arched at the sound.

He painted her stomach with his come, warm and sticky. It was sinful, the way Jughead’s face contorted in pleasure. His eyes fell closed, a little furrow of concentration between his brows, before his face relaxed completely.

When he had finished spilling himself on her belly he sighed against her, lips pecking her nose sweetly.

“Is it my turn yet?” Sweet Pea asked with a desperate grumble.

If the way his hips were grinding against Betty was an indication of anything, it certainly wouldn’t take long.

“Let go of me,” she said, and immediately his arms released their hold on her.

Jughead leaned back as well, a curious look written on his face as he dropped onto the pillow.

Unfolding her arms, Betty brought them to her front and rubbed her wrists to get the blood flowing again. Pin-pricks tickled her fingertips but she ignored them to flip around to her other side, facing Sweet Pea. She settled her back towards Jughead, his hand landing on the curve of her waist in comfort.

“On your back,” she pushed at Sweet Pea’s chest and he fell back against the bed with little protest, hands falling to his sides.

Her eyes raked over his body, watching his abdominals contract visibly. Betty leaned forward, lips at his ear mimicking the way he had nibbled on hers. Drawing one hand up to his chest, her fingers danced across his skin, slowly.

This was the first time she’d been able to touch him like this.

She lulled back from his ear and watched the path her fingertips were carving — swirling around the black lines inked on his side and trailing _down, down, down_.

As she traced one fingertip over Sweet Pea’s hip, she felt Jughead’s gentle squeeze to her side. His chin hooked over her shoulder to _watch_.

“How long have you wanted my hand wrapped around your cock, Sweet Pea?”

Betty’s assertive question surprised even herself.

The way he looked at her was both endearing and telling.

“Longer than I’d like to admit to, ah—” His words ended in a groan as her hand wrapped around his cock, fingers gripping him deftly.

Betty couldn’t help but grin cheekily, her nerves washing away with a wave of confidence.

“Well, I can’t say I’ve thought about this situation for very long, but _now_ I’ve got a lot of ideas floating around,” she chirped, her fingers pumping up and down on his cock. He was hard and smooth, thick and hot, and different yet the same as Jughead.

The way Sweet Pea arched his hips up against her hand had her head swimming and her grip tightening unconsciously. His hiss and sharp look had her easing up, thumb swiping over the head of his cock soothingly.

“Betty…” he growled, hands twisting in the duvet.

She smiled sweetly at him, scooting a little closer as she increased the tempo of her strokes.

Jughead moved with her, hand sliding up and down her side as his breath puffed out against her cheek. She could tell from the uneven, raised pattern, that he was enjoying this as much as she was.

“Come on, Sweets. Don’t you wanna come for me?” she purred, biting her lip and attracting his gaze.

He swore under his breath, bucking his hips into her hand. He raised his arm to pull at her side, tilting her body enough that he could come on her stomach.

His eyes rolled back with one last thrust into her hand, as he tensed, a groan fell from his lips.

Sweet Pea’s cock jerked in her hand and she pumped him through his orgasm, feeling warm splashes against her skin.  

When he was panting and spent, eyes closed, Betty let go of him. She pressed a kiss to his temple, pushing hair off his slick forehead. He mumbled something she couldn’t catch as she leaned back.

“Fuck, if that wasn’t hot…” Jughead whispered in her ear, tongue flicking out against her. She giggled, batting him away.

Looking down at the sticky wetness of their combined come on her belly, she groaned. “I should have known this would be twice the mess.”

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week: less sexy, more cute, but still fun!
> 
> Find me on tumblr! [lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some nice domestic vibes this chapter. <3
> 
> So, [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com) beta'd this like always, but now I've got a second set of eyes looking things over. The very lovely, [opportunistichag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpportunisticHag/pseuds/OpportunisticHag)! I adore them both so very much. My soft muffin bffs.

The weeks that followed would be some of the best of Betty’s life.

 

Incorporating Sweet Pea into hers and Jughead’s relationship had little effect on their day-to-day routines, beyond the addition of more touch and kissing.

_Kissing._

Betty could lay on the couch and trade kisses between the two of them forever. It was blissful and serene and it made her heart race but her mind calm.

It felt like she was floating in the eye of a storm — turbulent water churned just out of reach as sun shined on her face, warming her whole body from head to toe.

They were taking things slowly, despite the initial headfirst foray into romance and desire.  

The buildup was creating an ache so sweet and warm that the yearning encompassed her. She had started to dream about Sweet Pea fucking her while Jughead watched. Her imagination conjured up visions of his touches, so light, gentle, and deliberate in their course.

He ate her out again when she finally garnered the courage to ask; her face burning red as her voice wobbled. Sweet Pea had been a little overzealous at her request. He had barely managed to pull her skirt up her hips and set her on the kitchen counter before he dropped to his knees. Betty had squeaked and all but clamped her legs around his ears when he tugged her underwear to the side and opened her up with two fingers, licking his way up her center.

She had already been wet, wiggling around in her seat at the kitchen table, her desire for him hindering her ability to study. Sweet Pea hadn’t been doing anything special to draw her attention; he was just watching television, stretched out across the couch. But he had discarded his flannel, and his thin t-shirt put his arms and chest on display as she watched him lazily play with his mess of hair.

She thought about the way he had picked her up in her dreams, her legs locked around him as his cock sunk into her, grasping her hips in a bruising grip, and she was gone for it. Betty suffered in silence for about 30 minutes before she gave in and meekly asked for his mouth between her legs. The way his eyes lit up at her request told her that he would be more than willing whenever, and however, she wanted him.

Jughead had walked in just as she tangled her fingers through Sweet Pea’s hair, dragging his face against her pussy and rocking her hips.

He watched them for a minute; Betty felt herself climbing higher to her peak with a ferocity brought on by his gaze. Eventually, he came to her side, threading one of his hands over hers through Sweet Pea’s hair. He gripped her jaw in the other and pulled her in for a kiss.

She came that way, gasping into Jughead’s mouth as Sweet Pea curled two fingers inside of her and strummed her clit with his tongue in a way that made her feel dizzy and see stars.

When she came down, she pulled Sweet Pea up to kiss him, tasting herself in his mouth. His arms wrapped around her, enveloping her in hug that had her flush against his chest. She felt him, hard against her, but he shook his head at her as she reached for the button of his pants.  

He ruffled her hair sweetly and dropped a kiss to her forehead before he stepped back, drawing a pout to her lips at his retreat.  Pressing on Jughead’s shoulder, he pushed him into his place instead and disappeared into the bathroom.

Her heart aching, she looked to Jughead with concern, and his expression reflected the moroseness she felt as he kissed her. His hands skimmed over her sides before he pressed his fingertips in and held her tightly. When he whispered against her lips, she felt tears prick the backs of her eyes.

“He doesn’t think he’s enough for us, does he?”

Shaking her head, Betty didn’t trust her voice not to crack if she spoke.

He had helped her off the counter and then, together, they formulated a plan.

They had often lain in bed or on the couch, all three of them, and watched movies or their shows. But Sweet Pea always retreated to his room whenever Betty fell asleep.

That night, Betty tugged on his arm when he got up to leave. “Stay, please Sweets,” she pleaded with him, eyes filled with an unbridled need to comfort him as much as he did her.

He hesitantly looked to Jughead, who patted the spot in between them invitingly.

“Lay down,” Jughead demanded in that low, husky voice he always used when he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

Sweet Pea looked nervous but he propped his knee back on the bed. Betty rolled over so that he could climb into the middle, opening her arms for him in invitation.

His eyes met Jughead’s, no doubt searching for something — anything that might betray the offer of physical acceptance. She watched for a moment, observing as the two stared at one another, conversing silently in the intense way they had developed over the years. Sweet Pea must have found the answer he was looking for, because he climbed back onto the bed between them.

He lay down gingerly, on his back, and she threw her arm across his ribs. She cuddled up to his side as he wrapped his arm around her, resting her head on his chest. She peeked through her eyelashes to watch as Jughead threaded his arm under Sweet Pea’s neck, his hand resting on his bicep, pressing up against his opposite side earnestly. Betty felt the release of a held breath under her ear, and she smiled when he relaxed back into the pile of pillows they had propped behind them.

Watching Jughead and Sweet Pea interact was like watching the climatic build of a movie that she hadn’t seen before, waiting with that nervous churn of adrenaline in her stomach to see what would happen.

The two men had been touching with an increasing frequency and it always made Betty hold her breath. She was anxiously waiting for the day that they would cross a new line in their relationship and kiss. The catch in her chest when she imagined it sort of felt like, when it actually happened, it might make her forget to breathe until she was dizzy enough to pass out.

Not to mention how hot it would be.

She squirmed, blowing out a breath, then drew one knee up over Sweet Pea’s thigh, sliding her calf between his legs. They settled in for a little while and soon enough, she heard his breathing even out into a gentle, slow rhythm.

Looking up, she realized she’d never seen him asleep before. Well, not beyond the occasional nap on the couch, but that was before she dared to watch him so close up. She smiled, her fingers seeking out Jughead’s other hand. Together they interlaced their fingers over Sweet Pea’s chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat between them.

Jughead smiled at her, giving her a wink before he squeezed her hand. She fell asleep like that, wondering how anything could be more perfect than that moment.

Morning, however, was a different story.

They were a mess of limbs, tangled around each other, and she was overheating from the extra body in the bed. Not to mention, she had flipped onto her other side and Sweet Pea had cuddled behind her, arm in a death grip around her middle. She was quite sure that if she ever needed to move his unconscious body, heaven forbid, she’d be out of luck.

Betty tried moving, her feet searching for a cool spot in the sheets that had somehow ended up wedged under her during the night. She was also teetering precariously at the edge of the bed, close enough to fall off if it weren’t for Sweet Pea’s tight hold on her.

Sighing, she gave up and relaxed back into his chest, which seemed to loosen his grip. She clenched her eyes shut and shifted her hips as she tried to ignore her bladder for a few more minutes.

“Cupcake, stop wiggling around,” Sweet Pea suddenly breathed into her ear.

Her back stiffened and she stopped moving, not realizing she had woken him. However, it was only after his words that she realized that her bottom was pressed to his groin and he was hard against her.

The giggle that escaped her was met with a nip to her ear.

Eventually, she escaped the bed after she told him that she was desperate and her bladder was going to burst.

He had exclaimed what a tragedy that would be and had let her go.

She wasn’t expecting what she came back to, though.

Sweet Pea was still turned on his side, like he had been, but Jughead had shifted to spoon him, one arm wrapped around his middle.

There was a happy smile on Sweet Pea’s face that about made her squeal with excitement. She had to bite her lip, knuckles pressed to her mouth as she hid behind the door frame. Gazing fondly at them for a few more moments, she watched as his fingers stroked Jughead’s forearm; who affectionately nuzzled into the back of Sweet Pea’s head in return.

It was now her heart, not her bladder, that felt like it was going to burst.

She padded back into the room, crawling in next to her sleepy boyfriends.

_Oh._

That felt inherently weird but _good_.

She slid her arms around Sweet Pea, her arm lining up against Jughead’s as she squeezed herself close, tucking her head under his chin.

They stayed like that for a little while longer before Jughead had to get up for his class. Sweet Pea and Betty had the morning off, for which she was grateful not to have to brave the cold morning just yet.

Jughead came around the side of the bed to kiss her forehead, planting one on Sweet Pea too. Her heart fluttered and she wished he didn’t have to go.

Without him the bed felt colder, and she cuddled closer to Sweet Pea to steal his warmth. They stayed in bed until his stomach growled and she got up, determined to make breakfast for the both of them.

That night, Jughead invited Sweet Pea to stay in their bed again.

He looked just as surprised as he had the night before. ‘I don’t want to be a burden’ was written so clearly across his face that he may as well have said it aloud.

But Jughead gave him a look that had him rolling his eyes and climbing between them again, despite his silent nervousness.

Betty soothed him with a kiss to his temple, and then stroked his cheek affectionately as he settled his head in her lap. She sat up against the headboard, watching the two of them twist together around her legs. Both of their backs were to the edge, with Sweet Pea’s long legs practically hanging off the end of the mattress.

“I think we need a bigger bed,” she announced with little reservation.

They both looked up at her and she recognized the looks of contemplation in their eyes.

“Well, we are in danger of someone falling out of bed at this rate,” Jughead mused.

“Falling? More like kicking.” Sweet Pea raised an eyebrow in her direction and she balked.

“ _What?_ You have been sleeping in the middle,” she quirked her knee up and jolted him in jest. “If anyone, it’s me that’s gonna get pushed off.”

“Nah, I’d save you, princess,” Sweet Pea smirked with a wink.

“Well, regardless, she’s right. We need a bigger bed if we want to be comfortable,” Jughead stated, his tone decisive as he garnered their attention back on topic.

Immediately, Sweet Pea shook his head. “You don’t need to buy a new bed because of _me,_ Christ. I can just go sleep in my room, seriously—”

 _“Seriously,_ ” Jughead silenced him with a look, Sweet Pea quieting with a huff. “We were thinking about buying a new mattress anyway. This one is a hand-me-down from Betty’s grandma. Who knows how old it even is,” he explained, rolling his eyes. “We’ll just get a _bigger_ one.”

Betty was practically bouncing with excitement. “Yes, oh, a king-size would be so nice!”

Selfishly, she was also thinking about having a big, cozy bed all to herself to sprawl out across whenever she wanted to take a day nap.

And then, about how much more enjoyable it would be when they would all fall into bed together sans clothes.

“Let’s go shopping tomorrow,” Betty said, resting a hand on each of their heads, running her fingers through their hair. She was resolved now, and she must have had a twinkle of something in her eye because the two men looked at one another then sighed in unison. She giggled triumphantly.

 

*

 

As it turned out, they did not go the next day.

Jughead insisted he needed to research brands and types of mattresses before he was going to put any money down on such a long term investment. Which inevitably lead to a discussion of warranties before he claimed that they should leave the plastic on until they decided they liked it.

Betty had put her foot down at that, swiftly rejecting his ‘grandma with a forever plastic covered couch’ suggestion with her hands on her hips and a tone that brokered little argument.

Eventually, they stopped their back and forth when Sweet Pea sighed dramatically for the fifth time.

It took a few more days, Jughead reading every review and conflicting opinion until Betty closed his laptop with a resounding click and crossed her arms over her chest.

“We’re leaving in _two_ minutes, Jughead,” she said with fiery determination, grabbing her coat and Sweet Pea’s hand, pulling him out the door with her. Jughead was left to sputter and trip into his boots after them.

She rode on the back of Sweet Pea’s motorcycle, a change in their routine. Of course, she’d ridden with him a couple of times before, but this time was different.

When her arm wrapped around his middle, looping tightly, and she tucked her legs up around his, it felt very intimate.

With her cheek nuzzled into his leather clad back and her eyes clenched shut, Betty vibrated with the same intensity as the bike. Sweet Pea was usually a little more careless than Jughead, but today the ride was slower and more smooth. His abdominals were clenched tightly under her arms and she smiled into his back at his careful nervousness.

When they reached the mattress store, Jughead helped her off the bike and onto the sidewalk. After they secured their helmets, they turned and walked towards the double sliding doors that chimed invitingly as they crossed the threshold.

Surely, they made quite a striking picture. Eye-catching enough to have everyone's heads turning in their direction at least.

Jughead and Sweet Pea were on either side of her, tall and broad in their proudly worn leather jackets — all hard angles in black and flannel with heavy combat boots. They were cut from the same cloth.

In the middle, Betty stood almost a full head shorter than either of them, with beautifully soft petite curves and pastels. She was wearing a pair of cropped, high-waisted jeans, a white t-shirt tucked into the waistband. Petal pink Keds and a matching cardigan made her look picture perfect innocent — everything she was not.

Before she could take more than a handful of steps into the store, a sales associate rounded the corner of a row of mattresses, jutting her hand out in greeting.

“Hello! Can I help you find something today, Miss? Gentlemen?” she addressed them, shaking each of their hands enthusiastically with a disingenuous, plastic smile. “We have a sale going on right now, 20% off all regular priced Beautyrest and Serta mattresses for today only.”

Green eyes glossed over the woman, tall and thin with long, chestnut colored hair. Her manicured hands were clasped neatly in front of her, dress pants perfectly ironed.

Smiling, Betty tugged on the strap of her purse, fiddling the metal links of the chain. “Yes, we’re looking for a king-size mattress.”

The woman’s attention was focused on the two men, her gaze flickering down after an extended pause. Her head tilted, eyes looking over Betty with a dismissive sweep. She turned then, hair flipping out behind her, almost smacking Betty in the face. “This way.”

Rolling her eyes, Betty followed with her arms crossed; she had already begun to ball her hands into fists.

The woman, who introduced herself as Maria, led them to the back of the store where king-size mattresses were set up along the wall. There were various brands and types, pillow tops and Tempur-Pedic, and they all looked relatively the same.

“Here we have our selection of king-size mattresses. Please,” the woman laid her hand on Sweet Pea’s forearm, smiling up at him, “feel free to try them out.”

“Yeah, we were planning on it, thank you,” Jughead replied, no-nonsense.

The woman nodded, looking at the group of them before her eyes flickered towards the mattresses.

Apparently, they weren’t going to be left to their own devices.

Pushing up the sleeves on her cardigan, Betty slipped out of her Keds and dropped her purse onto one of the queen-size beds behind her then pulled her lip between her teeth. She decided to hop up on the closest one, sitting on the plush bed, feeling the fabric under her fingers.

Looking up, she found everyone watching her; an amused smile had formed on Jughead’s face and Sweet Pea was grinning.

“Getting comfortable, I see,” Sweet Pea teased before he stripped out of his jacket, tossing it over her purse.

Betty watched Maria’s eyes go wide, drawn to the way Sweet Pea’s shirt had lifted and to his bare arms in the short-sleeved plaid button up. She didn’t have time to frown at the woman’s undisguised appreciation, her own attention was drawn to him when he launched himself face first onto the bed beside her, flopping down on his belly.

“Ohhh, yeah, this is nice,” Sweet Pea mumbled, closing his eyes.

Betty patted the back of his thigh sweetly before scooting up the bed to lay in the middle of it, on her back, next to him. She crossed her hands over her stomach and let herself sink in, wiggling a bit to test the movement and plush.

Jughead placed a hand down on the mattress, pushing and testing it under his palm. It dipped under the weight and sent her leaning towards him. She watched the look on his face; his brow furrowed in concentration as he examined the label, denoting the brand and price, making her want to snicker at his seriousness.

They moved to the next one, Betty settling up onto it with Sweet Pea following close behind. It was a Tempur-Pedic and she sunk into the mattress. It felt heavenly, but when she tried to move much, it was like she was stuck.

“This one is shit for rolling around on,” Sweet Pea stated, leaning up on his side to wink at Jughead who had just sat down on the edge.

“Sir, if I may, the Beautyrest right over here gets a lot of compliments on ease of movement without sacrificing comfort,” Maria gestured to a mattress a little ways down, drifting over to it before sitting on the edge with crossed legs. She patted the space beside her invitingly.

Betty blinked, her brow furrowing when Sweet Pea popped up and walked over to sit next to the woman. He bounced in place a little then flung himself backwards to lay down.

“This one feels the same as the first one did,” he reckoned, closing his eyes and folding his hands behind his head. “Nice though.”

Walking over to the bed, Jughead sat down beside him.

With narrowed eyes, Betty clenched her teeth at the way the woman was blatantly raking her eyes over both of them.

Jughead laid back, hands over his stomach, and let out a sigh. “I’m fairly certain that anything would be better at this point.”

Maria smiled at the two men, “Which one of you… is going to be paying for the mattress?” she asked coyly, looking between the three of them with her head tilted and saccharine smile plastered on her face.

Jughead raised back up, examining the price tag with a critical eye. “Right, about that. I was wondering if you have a same as cash deal going on right now?”

“Yes! We do, actually. Our current offer is 90 days same as cash, credit check required,” Maria replied, her eyes twinkling. “But I doubt you’ll have any trouble passing that.”

“Apparently you look like quite the upstanding citizen, Jug.” Sweet Pea sat back up, knocking shoulders with him.

Maria waved a hand dismissively, “Those leather jackets always make people skittish, so I know people treat you unfairly because of them.”

“Well, what a doll. We don’t hear that enough, Maria,” Sweet Pea remarked, giving her a grin.

Betty climbed off the Tempur-Pedic she had been stewing on and passed by the three of them, socked feet stomping against the ground with heavy steps as she walked past them. “I don’t like that one,” she clipped in passing, tilting her nose up at the bed they were lying on.

Sweet Pea raised an eyebrow at her. “You didn’t even try this one, shortcake.”

“Well, I like this one better,” Betty declared, climbing onto the bed she’d stopped in front of. She looked over her shoulder while on her knees, “Come join me, Jughead. Let’s see how much space there is.”

Jughead promptly got up from the bed, following after Betty with an eye roll. He slid onto the mattress behind where she had turned to lie on her side, curling an arm around her waist.

Sighing happily, Betty rubbed her hand over Jughead’s while she snuggled into the crook of her elbow, that she was using as a pillow. She kicked out her legs on the bed, stretching out in the space.

“You know, I’d be happy to test out as many mattresses as you would like.”

Betty’s closed eyes popped open at Maria’s words. Leaning up, she looked over to see the woman lounging on the bed next to Sweet Pea, her arm propped up underneath her.

“Oh, is that right?” Sweet Pea responded, sitting up with raised eyebrows, a chuckle under his breath.

“Oh, of course. Anytime.”

That witch was practically purring.

Betty was gritting her teeth, scowl firmly in place. There was a quietly muttered, ‘Shit, Betty’ next to her and she looked down to find her hand clamped onto Jughead’s wrist, nails digging in painfully.

Releasing her hold, she shrugged. “Oops, sorry. Just thinking about how I’m going to have to buy all new bedding.”

Jughead demurred a quiet, “Sure,” under his breath accompanied by another eye roll.

Purposefully ignoring him, Betty got up from the bed and stood, arms crossed. “Do you have any California kings? My guys are pretty tall.”

Maria’s eyebrows raised pointedly, glancing between the two men. “Of course!” she turned to Sweet Pea, her hand going to his knee. “You certainly are tall, goodness, I didn’t even think. Let’s go to this bed over here,” she stood gracefully, tugging on Sweet Pea’s arm.

Jaw dropping, Betty watched as this woman tugged Sweet Pea over to the beds at the end of the row, presumably in front of the California king-size mattresses.

Seconds ticked by and she felt her blood start to boil at the familiar way the woman was touching Sweet Pea’s arm. Maria gestured towards the bed as she batted her eyelashes at him, leaning into his side.

Jughead stood up and propped his index finger under her chin, pushing up to close her open jaw. “I think you’re about to foam at the mouth,” he dropped his hands into the pockets of his jacket with an amused smile

“Um, excuse me?” she turned to him, aghast. “Do you see her over there? Flirting with Sweet Pea?” Betty gestured to them, her head tilted forward as she narrowed her eyes in their direction.

“Then do something about it.”

“What exactly do you want me to do? Tell her we’re having a threesome and she _isn’t invited?”_ she said with a huff.

“Yeah, basically.” Jughead shrugged a shoulder.

“ _What_? I can’t say that! No way—” he took hold of her arm, pulling her down the row of beds towards Maria and Sweet Pea. “Whoa, _Jug,_ ” she hissed, “what are you doing?”

“Mary,” Jughead demanded, stopping short of the woman just as she was about to climb onto the bed next to Sweet Pea, who was reclined against it.

“It’s Maria,” she responded, a twitch in her brow.

“Sure, Maria, could you possibly let us try some beds without your company for a while? We’re trying to get a feel for how all three of us will fit. You know, since our current bed isn’t big enough,” he threw his arm around Betty, pulling her forward and nudging her to get onto the bed. “Our poor Betts. SP has to practically hold her to his chest every night so she doesn’t get squished between us.”

Betty stood frozen in place at the edge of the bed, her eyes unable to tear themselves away from Maria’s face.

The other woman’s eyes darted between the three of them, widening as the gears seemed to turn in her head. Her jaw went a bit slack, and Betty could see the tick in it. There was a dawn of realization in her eyes, and there was something on the tip of her tongue that she swallowed down before her mouth gaped open.

Betty’s face was burning red by now, and instead of facing the woman any longer, she climbed onto the bed. She ignored Sweet Pea’s grin, arms relaxed behind his head in a way that made his chest look inviting. Instead, she fell face first next to him.

“And heaven forbid we try to move. Simply no room for… _activities._ ”

Burying her head against the mattress, she hoped that it would somehow swallow her whole.

Sweet Pea’s barely contained laughter wasn’t helping.

“Oh… I, er— I see. Well then — I’ll, um, let you try them out for yourselves. Just… please remember that this is a family store.”

Betty’s snort got lost in the mattress, eyes rolling hard. She had noticed that Maria had undone another button on her blouse, putting her cleavage prominently on display. How hypocritical.

“We’ll try to keep it PG-13.”

She could hear the smirk in Jughead’s voice.

“Right, good. Okay, I’ll just… be at the front desk when you’ve made a selection.”

The bed dipped on her other side and Jughead threw an arm over her lower back, the heavy weight pressed her further into the plush mattress. Sweet Pea minicked him, turning on his side toward her with his arm over top of Jughead’s.

Betty’s groan was muffled by the mattress, “Let’s go to a different store.” She could practically hear Jughead’s eyes roll as he tutted under his breath at her.

“Who are you, the princess and the pea? Gotta try every mattress?” Sweet Pea nudged her, fingers tickling into her side.

She squirmed away from his ticklish prodding. “Nope. Don’t know anything about _any_ peas, never heard of them,” she quipped, snuggling into Jughead’s side.

“Hey…”

Lifting her head, Betty smiled at Sweet Pea, climbing off the bed to put her shoes back on. “Let’s just get this one then, it feels like the one.”

“The king-size version of this does get four and a half stars,” Jughead added, humming in thought.

“I’m pretty sure they all felt the same.” Sweet Pea followed after Betty, swiping his jacket up from where it lay overtop her purse.

“Well, you could sleep on the floor and be just fine, Sweets. I, however, cannot.” She laced up her shoes and watched Jughead stroll over, hands in his jacket pockets, out of the corner of her upper vision.

“Just like I said, _princess._ Anyway, are we splitting this three ways or…” Sweet Pea trailed off, looking between them.

Looking to Jughead, Betty tilted her head. They had talked a little about it during his time he’d spent researching but hadn’t concluded anything concrete.

“I’m buying, actually. I’ve got some savings that I haven’t touched much.” She pulled her purse over her head, tugging out her wallet from inside. “It’s not daddy’s shiny credit card, but it was his money once upon a time. I’m going to put it to good use.”

There was a frown on Jughead’s face, his hand landing on her forearm gently. “Betts…”

She rolled her eyes and shooed his hand away. “I’ve got it, Juggie. I don’t mind spending my money like this. How about you just buy us lunch? I wanna go to the shake shop.”

There was a low whistle and Betty turned her head toward Sweet Pea who was shrugging his jacket on. “That’s hot.” He grinned.

Shaking her head with a smile, she pushed at his chest, pleased when it made him fall back to sit in the bed behind him. “Down boy.”

Turning, she walked away from them towards the counter to pay. Her ears couldn’t pick up their conversation anymore, but the tone was exuberant. It had her chest filling with warmth and she hummed, fingers digging out her bank card from her wallet.

There was a triumphant smile on her face the whole time Maria was taking her information. The woman was avoiding looking her in the eye, tone much more professional. Betty even managed to get a free delivery out of the deal.

Leaving with her receipt, she felt accomplished, even if her bank account was much lighter.

After they walked down the block to eat, Betty ordered her food and kicked at a rock on the sidewalk of the walk-up building. She huffed under her breath.

“Oh, my name’s Maria, here let me help you lay on this bed which is _totally_ appropriate, and touch your arm while I practically undress you with my eyes and insinuate that we should do much more than that _anytime_ ,” Betty spoke in a high pitched voice, imitating the saleswoman, flipping her hair over her shoulder dramatically.

Then, she dropped her voice, mimicking Sweet Pea, “Oh, anytime, anywhere, baby.” Betty smacked him on the arm.

“What? All I said to her was ‘is that right?’ Come on, Betts,” Sweet Pea gave her a look, staring down at her through dark eyelashes. He bumped her with his hip when she didn’t budge from looking straight ahead, arms crossed.

“Betty,” he whined, poking her cheek with his finger.

Shooing him away, Betty deliberately looked the other direction.

Jughead shook his head at them, fishing his wallet out of his pants and handing over money for their food.

Suddenly, Sweet Pea’s arms were around her, lifting her up off the ground and twirling her around in circles. “Pay attention to me,” he huffed, ignoring her pleas for him to put her down.

Her arms had latched onto his shoulders, giggles erupting from her throat. “Sweet Pea!”

He stopped moving in circles, but her head kept spinning. After he put her back on the ground, Betty wobbled a bit before she smacked Sweet Pea’s arm. Glaring at him, she moved and hid behind Jughead, who turned to wrap an arm around her waist automatically.  

She cuddled into his chest, sticking her tongue out at Sweet Pea over Jughead’s shoulder.

When they got their food, they sat down at one of the plastic tables in the building’s courtyard. Thankfully, the sun was shining and air wasn’t terribly cold, but Betty still cuddled into Jughead’s side and made him eat one handed, with an arm around her shoulders.

She shared an order of fries with Sweet Pea, cringing when he dipped them in barbecue sauce; prompting a discussion on dipping sauces between them to which Betty watched with mild interest as Jughead and Sweet Pea spoke animatedly.

Her nose wrinkled up when Sweet Pea held out a fry for Jughead to try that he’d dipped in his chocolate shake.

Though, for some reason, when Jughead leaned forward and bit into the fry that Sweet Pea was holding, it was innately sensual to her.

The way that Sweet Pea’s eyes lit up and his tongue darted out to lick his lower lip was enough to make her cheeks pink.

Clearing her throat, Betty rubbed her hands against her jeans. “I wanna try.”

Jughead loosened his arm around her, letting her lean forward as Sweet Pea dipped another fry into his shake and held it just out of her reach. She threw him a look to which he just smiled innocently and stayed put, causing her to lean forward over the table more to bite into the offered fry.

He released the fry to her when she bit down, wiping his hands together and pulling a drink from the shake.

Chewing, Betty hummed afterwards, licking her lips of the salt and chocolate. It was an interesting combo of sweet and salty, and hot and cold. She kinda liked it.

“That’s _okay,_ ” she shrugged nonchalantly, going back to the remnants of her chicken fingers.

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes at her then reached out and snatched an onion ring out of Jughead’s basket.  

The corner of her mouth turned up in a smile when Jughead pushed the basket closer to him.

“You know, I remember a time when you would have taken someone’s hand off for doing that,” Betty teased, bumping her shoulder against Jughead.

“Uh yeah, _me,_ ” Sweet Pea scoffed, but he was grinning. “No one told me he was Joey from _Friends._ ”

Jughead shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t share food.”

“You don’t share food with just _anyone_. But you share with me,” Betty prompted, grabbing her own onion ring from his basket. Then her eyes got glittery and she looked at Sweet Pea. “And I remember Sweets snagging food from you whenever he had the opportunity after that first time, specifically to piss you off.”

Sweet Pea grinned in response, “I like to push his buttons.”

“Oh,” Jughead snorted, “I’m well aware of that.”

“You came around though. I remember when Pop came up with his Friday night special, the one he named after you? You were so proud — you actually held your burger out to Sweets and insisted he take a bite!” Betty giggled, the memory flashing before her eyes.

Sweet Pea had been apprehensive, of course, when he was offered food instead of rebuked for a change, but had eventually taken the burger from him and tried a bite.

“I don’t think my eyes have ever wanted to fall out of my head more,” she smiled, nudging him again. ”You shared your food with Sweet Pea from that point on, though.”

“That’s kind of a big deal then?” Sweet Pea asked after a moment, curious.

With a tilt of her head, Betty pushed her remaining food away and folded her hands in her lap. “Totally. He doesn’t even share with FP. Only you and me. Haven’t you noticed?”

Jughead’s cheeks had turned a dusty pink out of the corner of her eye and she turned to him with a smirk. “Are you _blushing_ , Juggie?”

He looked the other way, grumbling under his breath.

Sweet Pea appeared a little stunned, dropping the fry he had been about to eat.

Her belly clenched and she looked between the two of them, her lip pulled between her teeth.

A gentle breeze washed over them that made Betty shiver, and she pushed some stray hairs away from her face. The energy around them had changed; shifted to something new, but not unpleasant. Different, but familiar at the same time.

Perhaps, unknown to even him up until that moment, Jughead’s feelings for Sweet Pea went deeper than friendship after all, and for far longer than they had thought.

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on tumblr! I don't bite very hard :)  
> [lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suprise, sex! <3
> 
> So, [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com) beta'd this like always, but now I've got a second set of eyes looking things over. The very lovely, [opportunistichag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpportunisticHag/pseuds/OpportunisticHag)! I adore them both so very much. My soft muffin bffs.

The rest of the evening, after they returned from their outing, felt different.

 

Betty felt unmoored; as if water had surrounded her, seeping into her clothes and skin, making her shiver despite a sensation of comforting warmth.

Opening her eyes, she stared up at the ceiling.

The couch was comfortable beneath her, but as Betty righted herself, she felt a crick in her neck. Her hand came up to massage it. A groan escaped her lips as she scooted to the edge, perching there while she looked around.

She wasn’t sure if the ache was from her position on the couch or from all the tension she had held earlier during their shopping adventure.

“You okay?”

Looking over to the kitchen table, she watched Jughead relax back in the chair he was seated in, textbook open in front of him.

“I need a massage.” Betty sighed wistfully.

Jughead’s eyebrows raised in response and he tapped his pen against the crease of the book. “You do realize I could help you with that, right?”

Shaking her head, she gestured to his books and laptop spread across the table. “You’re busy, I’ll be fine—”

“Betty,” he interrupted, standing from his chair and closing the book. “I’m never too busy for you.”

She blinked up at him as he loomed over her. His hands collected hers from her lap and tugged her to stand.

Jughead enveloped her in his arms, forearms curving around her lower back. She closed her eyes and nuzzled into the comforting warmth of his chest and arms, already starting to relax

“Lay back down on the couch, shirt off,” he instructed, letting go of her with a kiss on the forehead.

Betty turned around, plucking the hem of her white t-shirt from her jeans, and pulled it up over her head. Kneeling on the couch, she turned to grab a throw pillow to rest her chin on and folded her arms up around it. She wiggled into the couch, socked feet digging into the dip between the cushion and the arm. “Okay, Juggie, I’m ready.”

Bringing a knee up on the couch, Jughead swung his other leg overtop her. His legs bracketed her hips and he settled his weight on the backs of her thighs.

She felt immobile beneath him, sure that she could never effectively buck him off. The solid pressure on her legs that held her down felt inherently good and safe, though. When his palms flattened against her shoulder blades, her breath caught in her throat.

Jughead’s hands were warm and rough, but his fingers deftly pressed into the muscles of her back with gentle pressure. Her toes flexed and she sunk her head into the cushion as he started to knead the muscles in her shoulders.

“Feel good?”

With a nod into the pillow, Betty closed her eyes. She didn’t quite trust her voice to not crack with a moan if she opened her mouth.

He took her affirmation in stride, fingertips pressing in along her spine then running down the curve of her sides while his thumbs rubbed in slow circular motions.

Jughead unclipped her bra, sliding the straps down her arms a bit. Palms soothed over shoulders and she sighed with contentment.

His hands worked a path up and down her back, neck, and shoulders. Her muscles felt like butter and she was melting under his touch. It almost felt like she would sink away into nothingness if Jughead wasn’t holding onto her.

Her head was buried fully into the pillow now and she was biting the fabric.

Fingers dipped under back of her jeans and Jughead grumbled, tugging at them.

“Betts, these damn high waisted pants are in my way. Lift your hips a bit,” he leaned up from her thighs and the absence of his weight left her a bit breathless.

Spitting out the pillow, Betty blinked and fisted the couch as she flexed and lifted her hips up.

A squeak left her parted lips as Jughead’s fingers slid around her belly, finding the button and zipper to make quick work of them. He tugged the jeans down to her hips, then swept his fingers over the hem of her underwear before he retreated to push at her lower back.

She all but collapsed back onto the couch, suddenly wanting to press up into his hips as he settled back against her.

“You want me to keep going?”

His voice was in her ear, at her neck, blowing across her shoulder. His nose nuzzled her cheek and she pulled her lip between her teeth. “Mmhm,” she hummed, nodding.

Jughead’s fingers moved to cradle the dip in her waist, palms flat against her as he squeezed. His fingers drummed up her ribs and then back down, little vibrations sent pleasant tingles along her spine in response.

“Juggie,” Betty whined as his hands smoothed over her torso, thumbs kneading the little dimples in the muscles of her lower back.

Her hips rocked into the couch as a flood of heat washed over her.

Stilling against her, he hummed quietly before his hands curved around her hips and he leaned down close to her ear again.

“Is this turning you on? Do you want me to fuck you into the couch right now?” Jughead’s warm breath blew against the shell of her ear, making her squirm underneath him. His fingers crept around between the front of her body and the couch, and she lifted her hips automatically.

He tugged her jeans down a little more before his palm pressed against the front of her underwear roughly.

“Fuck, _yes,_ ” Betty moaned quietly, her fingers fisting around the pillow as he rubbed her with deliberate slowness.

Jughead’s lips curved up into a smirk against her neck, tongue darting out to flick at her earlobe. He ground his palm against her, creating a wonderful pressure against her clit that had her hips rocking into his hand.

“How do you always get exactly what you want?” he murmured into her shoulder, dotting her skin with feather-light kisses as he slipped his hand into her underwear.

It was always hard to speak when his fingers were rubbing her clit the way he was now. “I— god, it’s because you — you love me.”

Her body felt like it was swaying precariously on the edge of an orgasm already, muscles relaxed from Jughead’s dexterous fingers working her back.

Tilting her head from side to side, Betty’s back arched as she pressed her cheek to the pillow in earnest. A high-pitched keen left her throat as Jughead’s fingers dipped inside her pussy, curling and rubbing and making her vision go black.

Or perhaps she had simply clenched her eyes tightly shut, because suddenly she was opening them when a finger tipped her chin up.

There was a soft halo of light filtering in through the window, the sunset bathing the apartment in soft orange through the blinds. Betty blinked to clear her vision, and Sweet Pea came into focus. He was surrounded by the soft glow of the room, breathtaking, as he leaned against the arm of the sofa in front of her.

“You guys always get started without me,” he tsked. “Can’t wait 20 fucking minutes for me to get back from the shop.”

Sweet Pea’s fingers dropped from her chin and she rested it against the pillow, squirming against Jughead’s fingers which were still moving inside her, his thumb circling her clit.

“She’s always been needy, SP.” Jughead sat up on his knees behind her, fingers leaving her pussy and smearing the evidence of her arousal up her belly.

He gave her a gentle tap on her backside, “Up on all fours, Betts.”

Her mind was connecting the dots slowly, trying to clear the fog that had draped over her thoughts like a thick blanket. “What?”

Jughead chuckled at her, removed the pillow from her grasp, and tossed it to the floor. “Scoot up and put your chin on the arm of the couch.”

Using her elbows, Betty shimmied forward and drew herself up on her knees. She tossed her bra to the floor before resting her elbows against the seat cushion. Bringing her hands up over the arm of the couch, she folded them then rested her chin on top of her knuckles. Her hips tilted back, and she wiggled them at Jughead as she looked over her shoulder.

She giggled, “I think you’re the one that stuck their hand down my pants — not that I’m complaining — but you _started_ this, Jug.” As she raised her eyebrows at him, a small playful smile turned the corners of her mouth up.

Jughead rolled his eyes, hands coming up to hold her hips as he scooted forward then forcefully pulled her back into himself. “Guilty as charged,” he shrugged, grinding his pelvis against her.

“Well, I’m more than happy to _finish_ it,” Sweet Pea joked, bringing her attention back to him, his palm cradling her cheek. “But really, I’ll let you two get back to it. I don’t want to interrupt.”

Betty grabbed his wrist and leaned into his hand, her eyes finding the glimmer in his. She parted her lips to speak, but the sound of Jughead’s button and zipper being pulled down caused her to swallow her tongue.

“Or you could stay.” Jughead looked at Sweet Pea, his hands tugging at her jeans, pulling them along with her underwear down to her knees.

Betty turned to look back at Jughead over her shoulder, an eyebrow raised along with the corner of her mouth. He raised one in response, tongue darting out to wet his lower lip deliberately. Her eyes widened, following the curve of his thumb as he dragged it across his lip before he pinched her inner thigh. It caused her to jump a little, watching as he brought his eyes over her shoulder.

She turned back to Sweet Pea, sweeping her gaze from the top of his head down to linger at his hips and thighs. “Yes, please,” she groaned, face flushed with heat that traveled all the way down her middle at the thought of having them both. She was acutely aware of how wet she felt between her legs — her thighs even felt damp. It was almost uncomfortable and she needed _something_ right then. She squeezed her thighs together, the pressure abating her throbbing clit.

Jughead pressed his knees in closer to her, keeping her legs together as his hands slid up the curve of her hips. His fingers gripped her, flexing and kneading her muscles soothingly.

Pushing back against him, Betty rolled her hips, his cock hard against her ass. She bit her lip, eyes flickering up to take in the silent communication that was happening over her shoulder between the two men.

Her head tilted back, watching the way Sweet Pea’s eyes darted back to her, searching for reassurance. Betty brought one hand up to cover his over her cheek and smiled up at him.

Stomach fluttering with a litany of butterflies, she pushed his hand back to his side, her own reaching for the button of his jeans.

“Betty —” Sweet Pea started to say, voice intoned with reluctance, but her fingers were already tugging on his zipper.

She shushed him, glancing up through her lashes coyly. “I want this, we both do. Do you?” Betty purred, wiggling her hips back against Jughead who groaned his agreement behind her.

“Oh fuck — _yes_.” Sweet Pea gripped the arm of the couch, his knuckles going white.

Betty tugged the zipper of Sweet Pea’s jeans the rest of the way down, the noise grating loudly in her ears with the only other sound being their varied states of breathing. Her fingers lightly traced the outline of the bulge in his boxers, and she pulled her lip between her teeth when he jumped under her hand.

With a glance upwards, she saw he was watching her carefully, brows knitted together.

They were going to get him to loosen up one way or another.

She tugged on Sweet Pea’s jeans, dragging them down to his thighs then slipped her fingers under the hem of his shirt. Her fingernails lightly scratched over the trail of hair leading into his underwear, dragging them with her as she moved lower.

Tilting her head, she tugged them down to the middle of his thighs and licked her lips. She hadn’t been this close to his cock before, considering she hasn’t gotten to touch him much lately before he scampered off.

But he wasn’t going anywhere this time.

Betty planted one hand flat on the couch and wrapped the other around the base of Sweet Pea’s cock, his release of a shaky breath boosted her confidence. She watched as his hands clenched into fists and smiled up at him.

“Put your hands in my hair, Sweets,” she prompted, just as one of Jughead’s hands slid up over her lower back, fingers spreading widely.

His cock nudged her pussy, sliding easily against her and rubbing at her clit. It had her moaning as she twisted her hand around Sweet Pea’s cock. Jughead’s fingers on her back dug in as he ground his hips into her, passing over clit again and again.

A hand rested on her scalp, threading through her hair and tilting her head back a bit before he grabbed a handful and tugged sharply. It had Betty’s attention snapping up to Sweet Pea’s dark eyes, her lips parting in a gasp.

Sweet Pea groaned, hips stuttering under her grasp on him. “I want your lips on me, baby, _please._ ”

It made her stomach clench, the way he was practically begging her. Heat shot straight down her spine and curled low in her belly. It had her pussy clenching around nothing, aching to be filled.

“Only if Jughead would finally fuck — ahhh, shit, _Juggie._ ”

He had taken that as his cue and thrust inside her with little fanfare.

“You don’t have to tell me twice, Betts,” Jughead groaned behind her, both hands sliding up and down her back as he gently rocked in and out of her.

Betty was practically panting already.  “Y—yeah, I’ve realized that.”

Her hand started to move up and down Sweet Pea’s cock once she was able to breathe again.

Though Jughead’s cock was sliding easily because she was so wet, it felt like entirely too much and not enough all at once.

“Put your mouth to better use.” Jughead brought one hand down against her bottom quickly.

Pleasure flared up her spine and when Betty was too stunned to comply right away, he brought his hand down against her again. The sting of his palm had her moaning and she debated asking for more.

But Sweet Pea’s cock twitched in her hand and she swiped her thumb across it before she leaned forward a bit and guided him into her mouth.

His groan filled her ears as his hand tightened in her hair, fingers digging against her scalp delightfully. It had Betty moaning, her tongue swirling around him.

He felt velvety and warm in her mouth, her lips wrapped around him and her fingers tightened around the base of his cock. She bobbed her head, pulling back before edging forward again, tongue massaging the veiny underside.

Jughead snapped into her sharply and she jolted forward, taking more of Sweet Pea’s cock into her mouth. Her eyes had started to water and she pulled back a bit before she gagged.

“Jesus Christ — you’re better than I could have ever imagined.” Sweet Pea’s hips stuttered against her, and she could tell that he was holding himself still for her.

Looking up at him, Betty released a slow breath out her nose, watching as his face relaxed. His eyes were half-lidded, fingers tugging at her hair lazily.

Her pussy clenched involuntarily, the sight of him so blissed out sent her into a tizzy.

Jughead groaned, leaning onto her back a bit, the soft cotton against her skin reminding her that somehow she was always the one with the least amount of clothes in these scenarios.

“Betty,” he panted, hips rocking into her in a slow grind. “I’m going to come already if you keep doing —” she clenched around his cock again purposefully, “Yes, _that_ — shit.”

Betty couldn’t help but grin around Sweet Pea’s cock. She took in a slow breath through her nose, relaxing her thoughts and her throat to slide him further into her mouth.

His hand fisted her hair again, his fingers tugging and pulling her further onto his cock. She watched his abdominals contract and quiver, her fingers inching up from around him and then scratching over the fine black hairs leading away.

The hand Betty had on the couch seat gripped painfully hard into the fabric, desperate for something to hold onto while Jughead picked up the pace of his hips. With each thrust it sent her bobbing on Sweet Pea’s cock.

She went a little too far forward with one enthusiastic thrust, causing her to gag and pull her mouth off of Sweet Pea with a sputter.

Her eyes closed and she swallowed, hand wiping the trail of saliva that had dotted her chin. Her heart rate and stomach settled as she took a couple of slow breaths.

Sweet Pea’s hand loosened in her hair, having switched from tugging to petting sweetly. “Sorry. You okay?”

Jughead had slowed to a gentle back and forth, his hands sliding up and down her lower back comfortingly.

With a nod, Betty opened her eyes, staring up at Sweet Pea with a small smile. “I’m good.”

She wrapped her hand back around his cock, pumping him up and down. She leaned forward, lips pressing a kiss to the tip that had him releasing a long groan of her name.

The hands on her back moved to her hips, holding her steady as Jughead snapped his hips into her with hard, stuttered jerks. One of his hands slipped around her front, two fingers finding her clit and rubbing against her.

Betty moaned, head tilting to the side toward Sweet Pea’s hand. Her hips rocked forward against Jughead’s fingers, chasing her orgasm like a summer storm. Raging and thrashing and threatening to burst, her arm and thighs started to shake.

Working her hand up and down, she kissed and licked her way up and down Sweet Pea’s cock. As she swallowed her moans against him, he flexed and tensed under the vibrations of her lips.

He had started to tilt and rock his hips against her hand, leaning hard against the arm of the couch as fought to get closer to her mouth.

Parting her lips, Betty took him in her mouth and bobbed up and down on him again. Her tongue swirled around and across the head of his cock over and over.

“Betty, fuck, I’m gonna — shit, I’m gonna come,” Sweet Pea had started to pant, hand tightening in her hair again.

At her back, Jughead had started to work her clit faster, fingers fumbling as the rhythm of his hips became choppy and irregular. Alternating between deep, hard thrusts and short, shallow dips inside.

His breath at her ear as he leaned against her back sent a shudder down her spine. “I’m so close, Betts. Gonna—” he grunted before it turned to a growl, fingers circling her clit more steadily, “fill you up with my come and watch you swallow all of SP’s.”

Betty would have been panting with delight normally, but settled for a deep exhale of breath through her nose as she moaned around Sweet Pea’s cock. Her hand twisted on the upstroke while she bobbed her head, tongue sliding around wherever it could reach.

One more groan from Sweet Pea and his hand tugged hard on her hair, fisting it and yanking her head further onto his cock. Her hand squeezed around the base of him, her cheeks hollowing as she slid him into her mouth again and again.

Looking up at him through her lashes, Betty watched his face twist with pleasure, jaw clenched tightly. She relaxed her throat while her heart beat wildly in her ears, practically drowning out the croak of her name from his lips. His hips jerked forward, once, twice, before he stilled.

Sweet Pea’s cock throbbed in her mouth, spurts of his come painting her throat. Her lips tightened and she swallowed around him, the motion causing him to moan loudly, hips jerking against her mouth as he worked through his orgasm.

With Jughead’s fingers providing the perfect amount of pressure at her clit, Betty was overwhelmed by both of them against and inside her. That crest she’d been searching for slammed into her quickly, the build up finally overtaking her as she quaked with the heat that flooded her limbs. Her moans were muffled around Sweet Pea’s cock, and her eyes clenched shut as stars burst beneath her eyelids. The intensity made her fingers and toes go prickly with pins and needles, the swirl in her belly lashing out like the crack of a whip.

Betty pulled away from his cock after he stilled, turning her head and coughing. Her throat burned a little, lips swollen and numb. She brought a hand to her mouth to catch the come that had escaped her lips and dribbled down her chin.

“Christ, Sweet Pea —” Jughead groaned behind her. His fingers latched onto Betty’s hips, bruisingly digging in as he pulled her back onto his cock with such force that it had her tossing her head back with a moan so loud it shook her.

His hips slammed into her relentlessly, and she watched over her shoulder as his brows knitted together before relaxing completely, lips parting with a silent huff. He was emptying himself inside her, hot and thick and she bit her lip at the fact that it was turning her on again.

Betty’s thoughts strayed to Sweet Pea’s cock filling her up, after Jughead’s come had made her so slippery that he’d have to hold himself inside of her.

Her pussy clenched around Jughead’s cock at the thought and he groaned her name, the word falling from his lips so sweetly that she shivered.

Jughead was panting over her, leaning into her back. His fingers released their hold on her hips and she missed the tight grip immediately, her hips wiggling back onto his cock. It twitched inside her and he shot her a dangerous look that her smiling innocently.

Then he was leaning up and licking his lip, hand reaching out over her shoulder and her eyes widened.

Betty’s head rested against the arm of the couch and she watched Jughead’s fingers hook around the chain of Sweet Pea’s dog tags. Her breath caught in her throat, and she shrank down into the couch as her heart started to race in time with the flutter of her stomach.

Jughead tugged on the chain, pulling Sweet Pea, who had started to part his lips in question, forward. But the words died on the tip of his tongue as their lips met above her.

The breath built in Betty’s chest, her lungs burned but she didn’t want  to so much as breathe or move a muscle.

Their lips moved against each other like a dance, pushing and pulling. Their heads tilted and they were breathing hard against each other. Betty couldn’t look away — watching as Jughead tugged on Sweet Pea’s bottom lip with his teeth, causing the other to growl and fist his own hand in Jughead’s shirt, pulling him closer.

They traded kisses until her lungs were on fire and she couldn’t help but suck in a breath as her pussy clenched around Jughead’s softening cock. “ _Guys,_ ” she whined, “keep it up and you’ll have to get me off again.”

Their kiss slowed, lips lingering against one another as they opened their eyes.

Jughead was the first to smirk, glancing down at her as he fingered the chain around Sweet Pea’s neck. “And what would be so bad about that?”

Betty squealed as his other hand found her clit again, her eyes squeezing shut as she melted into the couch.

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fun stuff next couple chapters! Character exploration is on the rise. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr! I don't bite very hard :)  
> [lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of double date fun.
> 
> So, [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com) beta'd this like always, but now I've got a second set of eyes looking things over. The very lovely, [opportunistichag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpportunisticHag/pseuds/OpportunisticHag)! I adore them both so very much. My soft muffin bffs.

The day their mattress was delivered would always be one she remembered vividly.

 

“A double date? With Cheryl and Toni?” Betty tapped her lower lip with a finger, head tilted.

Sweet Pea shrugged a shoulder, “Cheryl dug her red talons into my arm and practically put in hole in my jacket. She seemed pretty set on the idea.”

His fingers danced up and down her arm and she sighed softly, leaning her head against his chest. The plastic on the mattress crinkled underneath them with every movement and she wanted to snort at Jughead’s idea to leave it in place.

As soon as the door closed behind the delivery men, Sweet Pea had wrapped his arms around her waist, dragged her into the bedroom, and threw her onto the bed. Her giggles were lost in the mattress as she pressed her face into it, wiggling away from his and Jughead’s fingers at her sides.

They assaulted her most ticklish spots until her eyes were leaking.

It had been a long three weeks waiting on the mattress. Betty had fallen off the edge of the bed more times that she would like to admit — both from rolling around with the guys and from their sleeping arrangements.

Sweet Pea had retreated to his own room many a night, despite protest, and Betty felt bad when she slept better because of it.

They needed this new mattress as desperately as she wanted Sweet Pea to fuck her into it.

“We might as well. She’ll never stop asking at this rate. Hasn’t shut up about the whole thing since you spilled your guts to Toni,” Jughead murmured into the crown of Betty’s head, his fingers tracing along the same path as Sweet Pea’s had. They met each other over the back of her hand, fingers interlacing and laying overtop of hers.

A groan rumbled from Sweet Pea’s chest under her ear, the vibration making her head thrum.

“I did not—” he started.

Betty pinched what she could reach of his side with the hand that was tucked up against him.

“—Ow, okay. She _pulled_ it out of me. Then ran and told Cheryl because she can’t keep a secret for jack shit.”

Jughead chuckled, “Well, it wasn’t going to be a secret for much longer. You can’t keep your hands off our girl, SP.”  

Wiggling out from underneath the arms constraining her, Betty swung her leg over Sweet Pea’s thighs, straddling him. Her fingers spread widely over his abdomen as she leaned forward over him.

“I’m not complaining,” Betty purred, winking at Jughead who slid into the space she’d left. One of his hands curled around Sweet Pea’s thigh, right behind her bottom.

Sweet Pea’s adam’s apple bobbed, fingers flexing against her thighs as he looked between her and Jughead. “You’re both pretty hard to resist.”

The corners of her mouth turned up in a grin, catching Jughead’s gaze. She dragged her palms upward, pulling on Sweet Pea’s shirt. “Sounds like it’s getting _hard_ for you to keep your hands to yourself, Sweets,” she paused, pressing her hips down against his. “Maybe we should do something about that.”

Jughead’s eyes had turned a darker shade of blue. His thumb brushed against her as he squeezed Sweet Pea’s thigh. “What do you have in mind, Betts?”

“Well… I bought something the other day that might be fun—”

_Knock, knock, knock._

Sitting up quickly, Betty’s head turned toward the hallway. “Is that… someone at the door?”

Turning back with a frown on her face, she watched Sweet Pea hunch down into the mattress underneath her.

“Oh, yeah, about that…”

Betty’s eyes narrowed down at him and he looked away. “Sweet Pea,” she groaned, “Is that Toni and Cheryl _right now_?”

“Maybe…”

She heard, rather than saw, Jughead’s eyes roll.

Tumbling off to the side, Betty fumbled to her feet, dropping from the plastic covered mattress and running into the hallway. “Coming!” she called out, stopping in front of the mirror to smooth her hair down and make sure her clothes were reasonably in place.

There wouldn’t be much time to get ready, she lamented, before throwing the door open.

“Well, finally!” Cheryl exclaimed, her hands clasped together as she swept her gaze over Betty. “We’ve been waiting in this dingy hallway for five minutes. I would have thought your hospitality to be much more prompt, cousin.”

The redhead pushed forward, stepping around Betty and into the apartment, followed by a rueful Toni.

With a sigh, Betty closed the door behind them. “Sorry Cheryl, I didn't exactly know this double date was _today._ ”

Cheryl flipped her hair over her shoulder, fingernails tapping across the countertop as she leaned against it. “I informed Sweet Pea that the three of you were expected to attend two days ago. It’s not my fault he has the attention span of a fruit fly.”

“Cheryl, simmer down. We obviously interrupted something. Let’s give them a minute okay?” Toni threw a look and a mouthed apology to Betty, who simply shrugged a shoulder.

She waved a hand, dismissively. “It’s _fine_ , guys. Just give me a minute to change?”

Betty guided them to sit on the sofa, shoving Cheryl down on it after she watched her eye it critically.

Turning to head down the hallway, she passed Sweet Pea with narrowed eyes and he carefully avoided her. “Sorry?”

“Save that for later.” Betty pointedly ignored his eyebrow raise and slipped past Jughead who appeared at the bedroom doorway.

She hadn’t taken two steps toward the closet when she heard Cheryl shrieking.

“No flannel, absolutely not. I respect the dedication to the grunge lumberjack aesthetic on the blasé day to day, but not tonight, boys. Change, right now. We’ve got reservations at Coppola’s and there is absolutely _no way_ you’re wearing that.”

There were two collective groans and disgruntled comments, words she couldn’t distinguish from baritone voices.

“I’m paying tonight, I get what I want.” Betty could hear the saccharine smile on Cheryl’s maple red lips. “Not that that’s any different than usual. Regardless, change. Pronto. And that means no dirty rag that you call a crown, hobo king.”

Gnawing on her lower lip, Betty pulled the closet open and looked through the stash of clothing she had slowly been building.

Jughead stomped into the room, tossed his beanie onto the bed with a scowl then banged his head against the wall with a _thud_.

“Why do we tolerate her again?”

Shaking her head, Betty thumbed through a couple of hangers. “Well, she’s family—”

Jughead tutted, “She’s your _cousin_.”

“—and closer to me than my _sister_. Plus she’s a Serpent, she’s dating one of your good friends, she did a tattoo for you—”

“She _drew_ a tattoo for me.”

Betty plucked a navy and white striped button down from its hanger and walked towards Jughead. She pressed the shirt into his hands, “Put this on, roll the sleeves up. Leave the top button undone.” She tilted her head, fingers drifting down to glide against his thigh, nails scratching the denim. “Cheryl did actually tattoo a few lines, you know.”

Huffing, Jughead pulled his t-shirt over his head and the flannel from around his waist. “Toni did most of it.”

She smiled fondly at the memory.

When Jughead had been contemplating tattoo ideas around the Wyrm one day, Cheryl had sat up from lounging in the middle of the unused pool table with a determined gleam in her eye.

Ever since her emancipation went through, Cheryl had been working on following paths that made her happy, and art was one of them. She had cultivated enough of a love for it to pursue it after high school.

So much so that she was enrolled in an online art program in addition to the business management courses she was taking at NYU. Cheryl attended classes for three days a week in the city and then would come back to Riverdale for the rest of the week.

Toni split her working hours between bartending at the Wyrm under the table, and the tattoo parlor. Their goal was to eventually purchase the shop, and Cheryl had been itching to try her hand at tattooing.

It had taken Cheryl a long time to convince Jughead to let her draw up his idea, and even longer for him to allow her to be there while he got it tattooed.

Jughead loved the design. But he had almost backed out of the whole process when Cheryl entered the room with a black bandana holding back her hair, hands on her hips as she looked him up and down with a smirk.

“I never thought I’d willingly want to get the pants off of Jughead Jones.”

He had made an attempt to run away at the comment, but Betty had grabbed his hand and squeezed so tightly that he grit his teeth.

They were in the middle of the piece when Toni passed the machine to Cheryl. Jughead moved to jump out of the chair but she held him down with a snarl of her cherry red lips. He didn’t move a muscle as she worked.

In the end, the tattoo had turned out really well — the geometric compass design had many smaller delightful elements that scrawled enticingly up his thigh.

“Yeah, don’t remind me.” Jughead pulled Betty out of her thoughts, haphazardly doing up the buttons of the shirt.

Knocking his hands away, she smoothed out the fabric and fastened the remaining buttons. She fixed the collar, brushing his shoulders and admiring their shape under the fitted shirt. “There, that’s not so bad, is it?”

There was a grumble under Jughead’s breath about keeping his suspenders, but he shrugged his shoulders in a sort of agreement.

Betty undid the buttons at the his and helped roll the sleeves up his forearms, then instructed him to tuck the shirt into his jeans. Biting her lip, she pulled the suspenders up onto his shoulders. She smoothed the black straps against his chest before she snapped one against him.

“Wear them like this for me. Looks… really nice,” Betty breathed, head tilting back to ghost her breath across his jaw.

He raised an eyebrow at her, smirk growing on his lips, “ _Nice_?”

She winked and shooed Jughead from the room. “Help Sweet Pea!” she called to his retreating form from behind the door as she headed back to the closet.

Cheryl was wearing a black jumpsuit, by a designer that Betty would never be able to afford, she was sure. It was accompanied by a lace blazer brought out the red of her hair and lips.

Shaking her head, Betty flipped through her options. She had long ago decided she couldn’t base her clothing choices on Cheryl, who dressed over the top for any occasion.

Toni had been wearing a light blue, long sleeved top tucked into a high-waisted black skirt riddled with zippers — for aesthetic purposes she was sure.

Tapping her foot on the ground, Betty wished she had the full arsenal of her closet.

The thought made her heart ache something terrible, though.

A glance at the newly delivered mattress had tears springing to her eyes at the thought of returning to her mother’s house. Home was the apartment now, with Jughead and Sweet Pea. It always had been.

With a sniff, Betty turned back to the closet. She grabbed the first two items from their hangers, a red, floral print midi dress that closed with buttons all the way up the front, and a white cropped cardigan. They still had tags on them from the sale that she had purchased them from the week before.

She laid them out across the bed, pulling the tags off. Her hand smoothed across the ribbed cardigan, and then fingered the ruffled strap of the dress. With a sigh, she realized she’d have to wear her Converse with the outfit. But if Cheryl had wanted them to adhere to a strict dress code, then she should have come over earlier with something in mind for her to wear.

After dressing, Betty slinked across the hall to the bathroom and ran a brush through her hair, fixing it up into a bun on top of her head. She pulled some wisps of hair down around her cheeks and decidedly went makeup free, mindful of the time she’d already taken. All she did was put on some of the moisturizing lotion that she had left on the sink.

Rounding the corner of the bathroom entry, she about smacked into Sweet Pea’s chest.

“Oops, sorry — whoa... _Betty_.” His hands came up to grip her biceps, thumbs pressing in affectionately as he stared down at her. Rich brown focused on her so intently that her lip twitched under his scrutiny.

“What, is there something on my face?” Betty raised a hand up to touch her cheek, but Sweet Pea captured it between his palms. He took her hand and pressed it to his chest.

“You look beautiful.”

He said the words so sincerely that she had no choice but to believe him. Her cheeks colored, natural blush — her worst enemy.

Betty blinked, smoothing her hand against Sweet Pea’shis white t-shirt. Her fingers inched over to finger the hem of the soft blue denim button up he had on; it was rolled up to his elbows and paired with black jeans. “I see you took Jug’s fashion advice,” she observed with an endearing smile.

“Cheryl said no _flannel_ , didn’t say anything about jeans.”

She grabbed a fistful of Sweet Pea’s white shirt, wrinkles be damned, and stood on her tiptoes to press her lips to his.

Shock flickered through him before he wound his arms around her waist and picked her up against his chest.

With a sigh into their kiss, Betty grabbed a fistful of his dark locks, tugging gently. He grunted into her mouth, lips and teeth and tongue clashing together with an increasing intensity. It was like she couldn’t get enough and felt her chest getting tight at the thought.

Pulling back with a gasp, she sucked in a lungful of air as Sweet Pea set her back on her feet.

He licked his lips, fingers brushing one of the stray hairs behind her ear. “What was that for?”

Betty’s mouth curved into a smile, head tilted as she patted his chest. “Just for being you. I can kiss you anytime I want, so you better get used to it.”

He held his hands up in mock surrender, “No complaints from me, Buttons.” Sweet Pea reached out to brush his thumb over the red button at the top of her cleavage, dragging the edge of the fabric down.

“Hey—” she swatted his hand away. “Stay away from the goods until you’ve had your dinner,” she chastised, making sure her dress was properly back in place.

Sweet Pea huffed, “What if I say I’m only hungry for your pussy? I could eat that all day long.” He gave her a pointed eyebrow raise before his eyes dropped further down.

“Sweet Pea!” Betty’s cheeks burned white hot, she peeked around him to make sure Toni and Cheryl weren’t able to hear. “Don’t — um, just —” He laughed at her fumbling over her words and she smacked his chest. “Stop it. You owe me, you know, for springing this on us. I’m not gonna forget this.”

Betty poked his chest with her finger before stepping around him and walking down the hallway. She walked pointedly toward the kitchen, hooking her foot around the Converse she’d kicked under the kitchen table the day before.

She sat in one of the chairs and slipped her feet into them before she heard the indignant pitter patter of Cheryl’s long nails against the kitchen counter. She rolled her eyes, finishing up the laces of her shoes before she looked up.

“What are those?” Cheryl’s lips were pursed, one hand cocked on her hip.

Feigning innocence, Betty kicked out her feet, tapping her toes together. “They’re Converse.”

“Yes, I know that. What are they doing on your feet?”

Cheryl’s eyes were trained on the grey, scuffed shoes as Betty stood up and straightened the line of her dress.

“I don’t have anything else here with me, Cheryl,” she said quietly. “I don’t live here. It’s not feasible to keep all my clothes and shoes here. I definitely can’t afford two wardrobes.” Her heart clenched, screaming at her to just _move in, they wouldn't mind._ With a shake of her head, she shrugged a shoulder.

A hand curled delicately around Betty’s wrist as she reached for the grey purse strap hanging on the corner of the chair. Looking up, she watched Cheryl’s face soften, brown eyes filling with what she could only discern as concern.

“I thought, from the way Toni told the tale, that you had taken up permanent residence here, Betty. She said Sweet Pea told her that you sleep between them most nights. You three bought a _bed_ together.”

Cheryl dropped her hand to clasp onto Betty’s. “Why haven’t you?”

With a small shake of her head, a forlorn look took hold as she tried not to let her eyes water. “I don’t want to just invite myself in.”

Scoffing, Cheryl squeezed her hand before dropping it and crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s time to take the bull by the horns here, or I guess _bulls_ ,” she rolled her eyes before setting them back on Betty with renewed intensity. “Embrace your inner matador, dear cousin. You tell _them_ what to do.”

“Yeah, _right._ You don’t even know, Cheryl. Those are two stubborn mules.” Betty pulled her purse over her head, settling the bag against her hip.

“They would do literally _anything_ for you, B. Listen, I have it on good authority that—”

“Okay!” Sweet Pea barrelled between them, seemingly out of nowhere, pulling Toni by the arm, who was struggling to keep up with his long strides. “Hungry now, gotta eat so I can have the _dessert_ I’ve been craving.” He winked at her over his shoulder, disappearing into the hallway.

Blinking, Betty reddened, her chest flushing at his implication.

Cheryl looked at her curiously before fishing her keys from the red clutch tucked under her arm. “We’ll talk later.”

Betty lingered, picking up her phone from beside the couch and stuffing it into her purse. She clicked the side table lamp off, nearly jumping when Jughead’s arm curled around her waist.

He pressed a kiss to her temple, “I like your hair this way,” he said lowly, voice making her skin rise with goosebumps. His thumb brushed over a spot on her neck and then drifted down to rub against her collarbone, to which she sucked in a breath. “I like seeing our marks on you.”

Pulling on Betty’s waist, Jughead made her walk forward. She brought a hand up to cup around the spot on her neck, she had forgotten those were there.

It was a good thing she hadn’t dressed in a short skirt — her thighs were littered with more of the same purple marks and light, finger shaped bruises from over enthusiastic hands.  


*  


Betty, Jughead, and Sweet Pea crammed into the backseat of Cheryl’s Camaro.

Rightly in the middle, Betty was squished between them. They each had a hand covering one of her thighs, and she thought she might disappear into the seat forever with how surrounded she felt.

After a short stop at Thistlehouse, so that Toni could retrieve footwear for Betty that met Cheryl’s approval, they headed to Greendale.

She slipped the white strappy wedges on, grateful that Toni had at least chosen something sensible. Betty was only a half size bigger than Cheryl, so it was either by chance or fate that life turned out in a way that allowed them to easily swap shoes.

They all piled out when they pulled up to the restaurant and Cheryl tossed the keys to Sweet Pea, telling him to park the car while they went in. He caught them in one hand, eyes lighting up happily.

The engine of the Camaro purred loudly as they walked in.

Cheryl had reserved a table that awarded their group privacy, nestled in the alcove of an isolated part of the restaurant. Soft red LED lights lined the glass inlet of the archway and flickering tea lights were suspended in a fancy dish in the middle of the table.

Conveniently, there were five seats, three on one side, two on the other. 

Betty didn’t have to guess where she was supposed to sit. Decidedly, she hooked her purse on one of the end chairs and shoved Jughead towards the other end so that Sweet Pea had to sit between them.

Toni raised an eyebrow at Betty, before looking over her shoulder. She turned back to the table and cleared her throat. “I’m gonna treat SP to a shot at the bar. As a congratulations. So,” she turned to Cheryl, “iced tea for me, please.”

She left without another word, leaving Betty puzzled over why Sweet Pea would need to be congratulated. She frowned, thoughts swimming to places they shouldn't.

_Was this a game?_

Her eyes closed shut tightly and she felt her stomach churn uncomfortably.

_No. That wasn’t it, it couldn't be._

Betty watched Jughead and Cheryl settle in at the table across from one another and she moved to pull her own chair out. Her fingers curled around the top but she felt an unmistakable pull at her gut, the kind she had whenever she watched _Forensic Files_ or _True Detective_ on Friday nights with Jughead.

It brought back memories of terrible things at the same time. She shook her head, pushing the horrors of her past to the wayside and tapped her nails against the chair. She turned toward the two and scrunched up her nose in annoyance.

“I’ll be right back, just have to use the restroom.”

Jughead gave her a nod, while Cheryl peered at her over the top of her menu with a narrowed gaze before looking back down.

Walking away from the table, Betty gripped the strap of her purse between her hands tightly. She twisted it around and around, knuckles turning white in their grip on the leather. It was getting hard to breathe as she retraced the path the hostess had taken them through.

Stopping short when she saw Toni’s vibrant pink hair, Betty looked for a place to blend in.

The bar was a square-shaped island in the middle of the restaurant, a wall of liquor in the center.

She turned sharply to the left, moving to the side of the bar, out of sight, just as Sweet Pea plopped down on a stool next to the petite woman.

Betty’s heart was pounding in her ears as she positioned herself at the corner, sliding in between two stools. She grabbed a cocktail menu to focus her attention on as she strained to catch their conversation.

There was the soft clink of glasses, and she imagined them downing their shots quickly.

“Damn. Glad Cheryl shells out for the good shit.” Sweet Pea’s voice made her skin burn.

“Always,” Toni purred.

There was a muffled silence that had Betty’s heart racing. Then the bartender startled her, catching her attention by waving a hand in front of her face.

“Miss? Are you going to order a drink?”

“Oh,” Betty blinked, shaking her head. “Just… a sparkling water.”

He looked at her strangely before turning to grab a Pellegrino and setting it down in front of her.

Betty wasn't enthused about using the fake ID Toni had made her, despite it looking very real. Obviously, Toni and Sweet Pea had no issues with validity considering they had already done a round of shots.

She held the bottle between her hands, leaning to the side, head turned.

“—can’t believe you. I mean, you’ve been writing fucking poetry about the two of them. Have you shown that to either of them?”

Betty recalled the soft crumpled piece of paper that started it all, the lightswitch that had bathed everything in a new light.

“Hell no,” Sweet Pea grumbled, voice dropping too low for her to make out much of the rest of his sentence except for the word _embarrassing_.

“Uh no. What’s embarrassing is that you’ve been so in love with these two since like, day one.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Fuck, Toni. I _know_ , okay? How was I supposed to do anything when they were breaking up, getting back together, and solving murders in high school? All I could do was accept the next best thing, being a friend to both of them.”

“Well, you must have done something right. I still can’t believe this. I mean, I’m so happy for you, SP, but I never would have guessed it would work out. I figured you’d be pining forever.”

Betty’s eyes closed and she brought the cold bottle up to press to her cheek.

“Yeah, think about how I feel. It’s still not real to me that they both want me.”

Her heart ached and ached and ached.

“The day you told me you had a thing for them both, I was sure that it would pass. But here we are, two years later.”

Opening her eyes, Betty cracked the bottle open with unsteady fingers. She swallowed a sip that burned her throat and bubbled in her belly.

“Well, let’s do one more shot. Congratulations on this thing, man. Don’t fuck it up.”

“Never. I would do anything for them. If… _when_ they decide they don’t want me anymore, I’m not sure what I’ll do.”

Betty stood from the bar, leaving the cap to the bottle and heading for the bathroom that she had passed on her walk. She locked herself in a stall after setting the water down on the sink.

With the toilet lid closed, she sat and dropped her head down to her knees.

_Deep, calming breaths,_  she told herself.

She wanted to cry, for a multitude of reasons. Her eyes welled up with tears, vision getting blurry, and she wiped aggressively at them with the backs of her hands. Her chest heaved with a silent sob, breath coming up short and her chest tight.

It occurred to her than she might be having a panic attack.

Betty hiked up her skirt and pinched the skin of her inner thighs between her fingers, not wanting to resort to digging her nails into her palms. But she needed something to _wake her up_.

She felt like she was going to both sink into the floor and float away at the same time. Her heart felt torn in two, barely hanging in place inside her chest.

It felt like she was swimming against a current, fighting for something she could see in the distance. All she had to do was get there.

Guilt and anguish and love and hope flooded Betty all at once. The dizzying mix of emotions were swirling around her like a storm, holding her down, trying to drown her. She wouldn’t let them.

The indescribable feeling of hearing Sweet Pea’s words, and discovering where that insecurity she had been seeing came from, was crushing. She wanted to scoop him up and hold him, tell him everything would be okay, and never let go.

Betty wanted Sweet Pea to feel as loved as she did, by both he and Jughead.

A gasp left her lips and she looked down at her thighs, littered with hickeys from the two men that had captivated her body and heart. She released her fingers, watching the reddened skin spring back and wondered if a bruise would form to match the others.

Dropping her face into her hands, Betty scrubbed her palms over her eyes. She took a deep breath in and then released it slowly.

_When._

The word would haunt her until the end of her days.

They were still young, that was true, but they didn’t need to think about ifs, whens, buts, or anything else beyond each other.

All that Betty knew for sure was that when she loved, she loved hard. And she knew that she loved Sweet Pea.

It wouldn’t be enough to just say it, she needed to show him.

And she needed to tell Jughead. God, he needed to know.

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My poor baby, Sweet Pea. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr! I don't bite very hard :)  
> [lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit more _fun_ on this double date than anyone really planned on. 
> 
> Also, I'm really sorry I haven't been replying to comments! Going to get back to that asap. I got behind on one chapter and then the pile was just daunting. But I love each and every one of you, even if you don't comment. <3
> 
> [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com) and [opportunistichag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpportunisticHag/pseuds/OpportunisticHag) polishing things up like always. Man, I'd be a mess without them. LOVE THEM WITH ME.

Once Betty had calmed down and patted her eyes with a wet paper towel, she returned to the table. She kept her fist tightly curled, pulling her purse off and hooking it around the curve of the chair.

Toni and Sweet Pea were in their seats and everyone was looking at their menus. There was a glass of sparkling water with a lemon wedge sitting in front of her chair.

It was a good thing she’d forgotten the bottle of Pellegrino in the bathroom.

Settling in her chair, Betty picked up her menu and glanced at it briefly before turning her focus to Sweet Pea while everyone’s attention was elsewhere.

Her hand moved under the table, fingers uncurling high on his thigh before pressing down firmly.

Looking over at her, Sweet Pea’s muscles tensed under her hand until she smiled at him and he relaxed. “What’s up?”

Betty squeezed his thigh. “Gimme your hand,” she gestured with her eyes to his lap.

His eyebrows rose, but he brought a hand down to his lap, to rest above hers on his leg, palm upturned.

She squeezed his thigh before pulling her hand away. “Just a little present for you. Some imagery for your dessert later.” She winked, letting the little scrap of lace dangling from her finger drop into his hand.

Immediately, Sweet Pea’s hand fisted around the fabric, edges of navy blue frills peeking through his fingers. His eyes shot up to hers, mouth dropping open in surprise. He dropped the menu and it clacked against the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the group.

Betty buried her nose in her own menu, peering down at the words but not really focusing on anything in particular. She angled her body towards Sweet Pea and crossed her legs, resting her ankle against his leg.

He was still staring down at his hand, and she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Jughead had furrowed his brows.

He leaned over towards Sweet Pea, bumping their shoulders together. “What are you guys _doing_?” His eyebrows rose as his gaze dropped down, catching on lace as Sweet Pea uncurled his hand to reveal Betty’s underwear.

Jughead looked over at her, lips turned up in a smirk as he dropped his eyes to her lap.

Squirming under his gaze, Betty curled her foot around Sweet Pea’s leg, just as Jughead leaned into him.

He was speaking lowly to Sweet Pea, murmuring something into his ear that she couldn’t make out.

Betty watched as Jughead plucked the lace up, his fingers inching up to tuck them into Sweet Pea’s front jean pocket.

Sweet Pea almost choked as Jughead patted his thigh, covering it with a sip of his water. His cheeks were pink and she watched him squirm in his chair under Jughead’s lingering hand.

She was utterly delighted by now, chest bubbling with excitement. It was going to be tortuous to wait until they got home to play.

Her eyes connected with Jughead’s and he tilted his head, the corner of his mouth turning up. He brushed a finger along his nose towards her, withdrawing his hands back to his menu.

“Not that this little three-way silent conversation isn’t entertaining to watch, but secrets at the dinner table are like cancer. They poison everyone and everything,” Cheryl said pointedly, folding her hands atop the menu as she shot a dangerous look to Jughead.

He settled back against his chair, throwing Cheryl a look to which she rolled her eyes.

She stared at each of them in turn, finally landing on Betty. “Speaking of secrets...” Cheryl waved a finger in a circle at them. “How long has this been going on, exactly?”

Betty shrugged a shoulder, “Um, a couple of months now... two? But it feels much longer than that honestly.” She tapped her lip before nodding with finality.

“Well, well, wonder trio. Two whole months and not a minute to be found between you to tell us this development sooner. Not like this was a major, life changing decision for the three of you.” Cheryl pointedly glanced between them, tapping her crimson nails on the tabletop before tiling her head and breaking out into a smile. “But no time like the present to share the merry news and have a double date with your bestest of friends.”

Cheryl’s shade was never exactly subtle.

Toni set her menu down, taking a sip of her iced tea before clearing her throat to speak. “I guess it’s a good thing SP left the door unlocked when he was—” She jumped in her chair, almost spilling her tea, then glared across the table at Sweet Pea.

“We don’t have to talk about _that_ part,” he said, sheepishly dropping his eyes eyes back to his menu.

“Well, anyway, we’re happy for you. Poly relationships are kind of unusual, but not unheard of. And… I can see it with you guys. You three have always been on the same wavelength, now you just have to put in the work.” Toni spoke with sincerity, following up with a warm smile..

“Absolutely,” Betty chimed in, feeling even more touched by the words considering the conversation she had overheard. She leaned toward Sweet Pea and rested her hand on his thigh again as she pecked his cheek. “I’m in it for the long haul if they are.”

Her hand lingered as she smiled up at him, fingers lightly pressing over the bulge in his jeans, right where she knew it would be.

Wrapping his fingers wrapped around her wrist, Sweet Pea stopped her in the action of cupping him completely. He chuckled nervously and placed her hand on the tabletop as he shifted in his seat.

Betty smiled innocently, eyes darting over to Jughead who looked up from Sweet Pea’s lap. He smirked behind his menu before he folded it down.

“We’re still working out some kinks, but things are going well,” Jughead added.

It was then that the waiter came to take their orders. Cheryl started, and Betty began to panic because she hadn’t really looked at the menu at all.

Her eyes frantically ran over the pages while she listened to Toni rattle off her order and her specifications for them to hold the dijon on the salmon.

Betty looked up from the menu and handed it over as she spoke. “I’ll take the chicken napoletana,” she breathed out, relieved when the waiter looked to Sweet Pea after scribbling down her order.

She took a sip of her water, knocking the lemon wedge down in the glass and watching it float on the surface. Her ears perked up when she heard Jughead.

“I’ll have the Mediterranean branzino _and_ the baked lasagna.” He handed the menu over and added, “Yes, I want both.”

The waiter raised his eyebrows but scribbled the order down and left them.

Cheryl had crossed her arms over her chest, glaring daggers across the table at Jughead. “I know you have a bottomless pit for a stomach but _really_?”

“I’m still a growing boy, Cheryl. Don’t begrudge me and my high metabolism,” he said nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair.

Picking up Cheryl’s hand, Toni raised her eyebrows at her, clasping their hands together and distracting her attention away from Jughead.

Betty sighed, propping her chin in her palm as she rested her elbow on the table. She rubbed the curve of her foot up and down Sweet pea’s shin, ignoring his sideways glances.

While they made casual conversation, with Cheryl prattling on about one of her professors at NYU, Betty leaned in toward Sweet Pea. She placed her free hand back in his lap, fingers brushing higher and higher on his thigh.

She was particularly delighted when his voice cracked in the middle of a sentence as she palmed his cock over his jeans.

He glared at her, but didn’t push her hand away this time. So she left it there, fingers lingering and brushing against him every so often.

The real kicker was when Jughead had put his hand overtop of hers in Sweet Pea’s lap and squeezed. Sweet Pea was so surprised, he choked on his water, practically spraying it across the table onto Toni and Cheryl.

Cheryl had of course been affronted, and eyed Sweet Pea with pursed lips until their food arrived some minutes later.

Both Betty and Jughead withdrew their hands from his lap then and he visibly sunk down his chair in relief.

Toni raised her eyebrow at Sweet Pea, a little smirk turning the corner of her mouth upwards. She whispered something in Cheryl’s ear as the waiter was setting their plates on the table.

They ate with little fanfare as Toni told them about how she was thinking of switching to part-time hours at the bar, and that there would be a full time position available soon. She dreaded having to interview someone, but didn’t trust FP to not just pick some pretty face with no skill.

Sweet Pea stole a couple bites of Jughead’s baked lasagna, while Cheryl looked on with a gaping mouth.

When she continued to stare, Jughead told her she looked like a fish and her mouth snapped shut just as she stabbed the table with her knife.

Toni seductively teased a promise of reprimand for Cheryl, which had both Sweet Pea and Jughead cringing and whining that they didn’t need to know things like that.

After some apologizing to the waiter they finally ordered dessert.

Betty had been craving something sweet and ordered a cup of chocolate mousse. Surprisingly, Jughead claimed he was full and Sweet Pea announced he only wanted a bite from her order. Toni and Cheryl decided to share a piece of cheesecake.

When the waiter set the fancy dish in front of her, Betty could have sighed in delight. There weren’t many chocolate desserts she would have willingly ordered, as she much preferred something fruity, but this was an exception.

Picking up the second spoon, Sweet Pea scooted closer to her, throwing an arm around the back of her chair. He scooped up a portion with his spoon and moaned around the bite, peaking Jughead’s interest.

He peered around them, eyeing the dessert with a frown.

“None for you,” Betty pointed to Jughead with her spoon. “You said you were full. We have things to do later, so don’t put yourself in a food coma.”

“Things?” Sweet Pea mumbled around his spoon before pulling it out and licking it clean. “What things?”

The action distracted her momentarily, but she turned back to the dessert after making eye contact with Jughead. “Laundry,” she said after a moment of deliberation.

“Laundry? Really? Didn’t you just wash clothes—”

Betty scooped up another sample of mousse on her spoon and shoved it into Sweet Pea’s mouth. “Bed linen laundry, amongst other things.” She smiled sweetly at him, pulling the spoon from his mouth and licking it before taking a new bite for herself.

With her free hand, she grabbed Sweet Pea’s from where it was resting on the table, spoon abandoned, and dragged it to her lap. “I just need both of you to give me a helping hand, no slacking.”

“I’m always happy to help,” he responded, eyebrow lifting as Betty used his hand to ruck her dress up on her thighs.

Placing his palm on her bare thigh, she wiggled in her seat and spread her legs a bit, sigh dropping from her lips. Betty glanced to him and then down to her lap before returning to her dessert, hoping that he would catch on.

Sweet Pea didn’t miss a beat, hand sliding up her thigh and cupping her pussy. She bit into her spoon and rocked her hips forward as subtly as she could manage.

“Ugh, laundry,” Cheryl grumbled around her spoon before pulling it out of her mouth to wave it around in the air. “Don’t remind me.”

Toni rolled her eyes and Betty missed her reply completely, as Sweet Pea had spread her open and thrust two fingers inside her without any other preemptive touching.

She was surprised the action didn’t make an audible obscene sucking sound, with the way she practically pulled his fingers in.

Betty’s eyes glazed over, spoon drooping from her trembling fingers, as he started pumping slowly in and out, fingers curling and spreading.

Leaning in to her, Sweet Pea nuzzled his lips at her ear, breath tickling her neck. “Do you really wanna come at the dinner table? In front of our friends?”

She bobbed her head eagerly, popping the spoon into her mouth to hide a squeak. Her hips rocked forward against his fingers as he used his thumb to rub at her clit.

Sweet Pea smirked against her neck, lips pressing a kiss to the delicate skin there before leaning back, slightly further away from her but still settled close. He turned his attention back toward Cheryl and Toni.

Meanwhile, Betty sucked on her empty spoon to hide the face she would surely be making otherwise.

“So, obviously, we’ll have to make this a regular thing,” Cheryl looked to Betty and she nodded complacently.

“S—sure,” she answered before shoving another spoonful of the mousse in her mouth. Her cheeks felt hot and she hadn’t had a drop of alcohol to blame it on.

Betty squirmed, tilting her head to the side as Sweet Pea pressed his long fingers right against her g-spot, making her moan. She quickly let out an awkward cough turned laugh at the girls across the table. “Sounds great!”

Jughead glanced over at Sweet Pea, then Betty, crossing his arms over his chest. He eyed them curiously and she wished he wasn’t so far away. She thought about his hands joining Sweet Pea’s and she bit down on the utensil in an attempt to hide a moan as her breath hitched.

Across the table, Toni twirled her fork between her fingers while Cheryl finished the last bite of cheesecake, eyes on her girlfriend as she plucked the cherry from the stem between her red lips.

Her attention swiveled to Betty though, at her moan, eyebrows rising slightly as she took in the blonde’s flushed face.

Betty practically choked on her spoon when Toni looked to Sweet Pea and then down to where the table cut off and smirked. She leaned into Cheryl, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hooked a leg over her lap.

Cheryl’s hands came down to Toni’s leg and she drummed her nails across the dark skin of her knee. “Maybe we’ll go to a new restaurant each time?”

“Does Pop’s count?” Jughead asked, and Betty figured he must be hankering for something familiar and less fancy.

“Don’t you eat at Pop’s like, once a day, Burgerhead Jones?”

Sweet Pea moved his fingers from her pussy to circle and slip around her clit — wet fingers and gentle pressure had her grinding against his hand. He pulled away when she got too overzealous.

“I’m a loyal customer.”

Cheryl pushed her empty plate to the center of the table and flicked the cherry stem at Jughead. “Party of one then, because we’re going elsewhere, beanie boy.”

“How about a party of three and you can find some other poor saps to torment, Chucky Blossom.” He swatted the stem away from his chest with a frown and turned toward toward Toni. “Control your lady friend, please.”

“Oh, put down the pitchforks, you two. The jig is up. We all know by now that you _actually_ care about each other.” Toni walked her fingers down Cheryl’s bare arm, goosebumps rising over her skin in their wake. “But as for Cheryl, she’ll get what’s coming to her later.” She locked eyes with Betty before continuing, “I’m just not the exhibitionist type.”

Betty did choke on her spoon this time, spitting it out and covering her mouth as she coughed. Sweet Pea’s fingers only seemed to pick up speed, rubbing circles around her clit that her breath catching in her throat, making everything better and worse all at the same time.

Cheryl looked at them with critical eyes, brows furrowed as she glanced between her and Sweet Pea.

Betty rocked her hips forward, chasing Sweet Pea’s fingers as the crescendo she’d been leaping toward was next in succession. But he pulled his fingers from her, and she had to grip the table with white knuckles and bite her tongue to stop the whimpered plea bubbling in her throat.

Then, Sweet Pea did something that surprised her.

Raising the hand he’d been using against her pussy, he swiped his fingers through the remainder of her chocolate mousse. He turned to Jughead and offered his fingers up, “Have the last bite, Jug.”

She wanted to scream at the way Jug leaned forward and wrapped his lips around Sweet Pea’s fingers. He sucked on them, eyes flashing to her, dark and glinting from the flicker of the candle in the middle of the table.

The sight made her clench her legs together tightly as her clit throbbed. Her head swam and her palms were sweaty.

Instead of sinking down into her chair and disappearing into a puddle on the floor, Betty quickly stood from her chair. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

She was already away from the table when Toni called out with a poorly disguised laugh, “But you just went when we got here.”

“I had two glasses of water, thanks!” Betty threw over her shoulder with a grumble as she practically sprinted across the restaurant.

Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears as she entered the bathroom. With a quick glance around to confirm she was alone, she leaned her forehead against the door and banged against it purposefully.

She clenched her thighs together and gripped the frame. Her hips ground forward, closed legs providing only the slightest pressure but still enough to have her gasping and clawing at the door.

 _So close, just a little more_. She might not even have to touch herself at this rate.

But the door under her hands disappeared and Betty straightened up, hands fisting in her dress. It felt like she had been doused with cold water and she shivered, taking a step back from the doorway before quickly turning around.

Her thighs trembled as she walked to the sink.

She was going to lose her mind.  

The door closed and she heard the lock slide into place with a resounding click.

She stilled, eyes trained on the immaculate tile floor as warm breath ghosted across her neck. Arms slid around her waist, large hands curving over her belly.

“What a dirty girl, making Sweet Pea finger you at the table.” Jughead licked her ear and she leaned back against him with a whimpered sigh.

Gripping his arms, Betty’s fingers dug into his wrist and tugged his hand further down. “Please Juggie, he wouldn’t let me come.”

He tsked, patting her over the dress before he turned her around in his arms. He gripped her biceps and slowly pushed, making her walk backwards until her lower back hit the sink. “And why do you think I’ll just do whatever you want?”

Her head tilted back as she clung to the straps of his suspenders, tugging and drawing him in as she leaned back over the sink. “Because, I’ve got some information that you need to know,” she breathed along his jaw.

Jughead’s eyes flickered down to her lips before drawing back up. He brought his thumb up to pull on her lower lip. “About?” he asked curiously, leaning in to brush his nose along hers.

His breath mirrored hers, chocolate and pasta — the best kind of carbs.

Tilting her head up, Betty pressed their lips together. She sighed into his mouth when he slid his arms around her waist and lifted her, setting her down on top of the countertop.

“It’s about Sweets,” she murmured between their kisses, delighting in his hands roaming her thighs as he slowly pulled her dress up. “And I’m not saying another word until you put your mouth on my pussy.”

He chuckled, lips moving to her jaw and then down her neck. After a quick glance back at the door, he was lowering to his knees in front of her.

She squealed when he shoved her dress up to her hips and hooked his hands around her knees to spread her legs. “We have to be quick, Betts. So talk while I eat.” Jughead licked his lips, his hands sliding up her thighs. He gripped her hips and tilted her forward as his mouth closed around her clit.

Betty’s head hit the mirror behind her as she threaded her hands through Jughead’s hair. He licked at her, tongue sliding up her slit, making her mouth fall open at how wet she felt with him against her pussy. Her fingers tightened in his hair, dragging his face forward, his nose brushed her clit while his tongue thrust inside her.

“Start talking,” he murmured, tongue lapping up her wetness. His hands squeezed her hips before moving lower, thumbs spreading her pussy as he licked a wide strip up to her clit. His teeth grazed her gently and she keened, fingers twisting the hair at his scalp.

Her eyes watched the blue of Jughead’s as he glanced up through his lashes at her. “I heard, god—” his tongue swirled around her clit, and her eyes closed as her back arched. “I overheard Toni and Sweets t—talking,” she croaked out.

Jughead sucked at her clit, murmuring and his hum vibrated all the way up her middle. Betty squirmed under his hold, rocking against his face. “Sweets — he’s liked us both,” she gasped as he groaned against her. “For a long time."

His fingers moved back to grip her hips tightly, pulling her pussy closer as he fucked her with his tongue.

She continued, chest heaving as her gaze darted up to the locked door. “‘S afraid we’re going to get tired of him,” her legs tightened around Jughead’s shoulders and she moaned his name, smacking her head back into the mirror. “Actually said the word ‘when’, we get tired of him.”

“Well,” Jughead growled against her, fingers flexing against her skin as he held her steady from grinding against his face. “We’ll just have to change his mind about that, won’t we?”

Betty nodded, her fingers combing through his hair, a sigh dropping from her lips as he curled his tongue inside her. He mouthed at her clit at the same time and her cheeks felt hot, a tingle beginning at her fingertips.

“I love him, Juggie, I do,” she murmured, her hands tugging at his hair as her eyes fluttered closed. Her lips dropped open in a quiet moan, thighs shaking while her toes curled. The windup in her belly released suddenly and she tensed, breath hitching in her throat in a series of ‘ah, ah, ah’s as pleasure spread from her pulsing center outward in a fiery spiral.

He worked her through it, fingers rubbing the juts of her hip bones, then kissing her thighs. She was catching her breath when he rose up between her legs and pulled her into a kiss.

Jughead cupped her neck, nuzzling her nose with his as they traded lazy kisses. His tongue swiped against hers and she gripped the straps of his suspenders and yanked. They clashed together, teeth and tongue, and Betty wrapped her legs around his hips.

“Alright,” he mumbled into her mouth, pulling away. “We need to get out of here.”

As Jughead rocked his hips into her, his cock was hard against her leg, contradicting his words. With a pout, she squeezed him with her legs. “Get out of here like… go home so we can fuck Sweet Pea?”

Rolling his eyes, he gripped her chin between his fingers to make her look at him. “Like get out of this bathroom before we get arrested, out of here.” He chuckled and pulled her off the counter onto shaky legs.

She was grateful she was wearing wedges, and not something with a pointier heel, or else she surely would have fallen over.

“ _Fine._ But that is certainly one of the hottest things we’ve ever done, don’t you think?” Betty said, straightening the skirt of her dress.

“Oh, for sure. I was afraid someone was going to knock on the door—”

He spoke too soon, as a pair of knuckles rapped against the heavy wood of the door.

Jughead swore under his breath and looked to Betty who held her hands up in surrender. “I thought I was pretty quick,” she squeaked, shoving him towards one of the stalls and closing the door after him.

As she quickly fixed her hair in the mirror, she groaned at how red her face and chest were. Accepting there was nothing she could do about it, she undid the lock and opened the door.

She wasn't expecting to find Cheryl on the other side, cheeks flushed just as red as Betty’s and arms crossed over her chest.

“We’re leaving now that you’re _finished_. You’re welcome, by the way,” the redhead tossed her fiery locks over her shoulder. “I told anyone who came over here that you were recently struck pregnant with the lovechild of your highschool sweetheart, had began a long battle with morning sickness, and you were throwing up.”

Betty blinked, Cheryl’s penchant for dramatics, though regular, were often disorienting. But she was grateful all the same. A powerful urge came over her and she threw her arms around Cheryl and hugged her tightly. “Thanks, sorry we were being heathens.”

Cheryl patted her arm awkwardly before she ultimately uncurled her own to wrap Betty up in a hug. “It’s… alright. I understand, cousin, believe me. Toni and I have been there before.”

They pulled away from each other and Cheryl looked over Betty’s shoulder as Jughead came out from the stall. His cheeks were likewise pink and he fixed his mussed hair in the mirror.

“It’s just easier with us because we both use the same bathroom already.” Cheryl gave a shrug, lips curving into a smirk as Jughead sighed loudly.

He slipped past them, dropping a lowly “thanks" to the redhead as he passed, hands shoved into his pants pockets. He had untucked his shirt to cover the front of his jeans, suspenders hanging down around his hips. Betty covered a smile behind her hand before tugging on Cheryl’s wrist and following him.

“Take me home, Cheryl. I’ve got business to attend to.”

When they got back to the table, Toni had taken care of the bill with Cheryl’s shiny red credit card. She and Sweet Pea were waiting for them, their conversation quieted when the trio arrived back. They stood up, and Sweet Pea held Betty’s purse out to her.

She had barely pulled the strap over her head when Jughead slipped past her and grabbed the front of Sweet Pea’s t-shirt, yanking him forward.

Their lips met in a clash, and Sweet Pea’s eyes widened before they fluttered closed and he gripped Jughead’s sides.

Betty was stunned, her breath stuck in her throat as she brought a hand up to her lips to cover the smile that was growing so wide her cheeks were hurting.

The men she loved were kissing — it made her heart soar and fly and beat profoundly.

They made a stunning picture, Jughead had to tilt his head slightly to reach Sweet Pea’s lips and he kept tugging at the white shirt under his grasp to get closer.  Sweet Pea’s hands squeezed Jughead, pulling him in until they were flush together. They were all teeth, tongues, and heavy breathing and it was making her cheeks hot again.

“Okay,” Cheryl snorted beside her. “While we appreciate your happiness and _enthusiasm_ , this is turning into _Brokeback Mountain_. I’d like to be able to come back to this restaurant, guys, so turn down the full on frontal assault. Let’s get you home so you can do that _laundry_ ,” she said, fingers marking air quotes around the last word.

Their lips slowed to a stop, lingering, hovering over one another. Sweet Pea tipped Jughead’s jaw back, their eyes opening to stare at one another.

Sweet Pea licked his lips, darting a glance over to Betty. “Did you guys…?” His eyebrows raised, looking between her and  Jughead, who shrugged one shoulder lazily. They were still glued to each other, ignoring Cheryl’s fake gagging sounds.

Jughead dragged Sweet Pea’s mouth back to his for another kiss that had Betty hot and flustered all over again.

They separated when Sweet Pea gently pushed Jughead away from him. “Keep that up and we’ll really get in trouble.”

They both looked as dazed as Betty felt, and she practically fell into Sweet Pea’s arms when he slung an arm around each of them. He leaned down to her and spoke with a purposeful tone, “I can’t believe Jughead had his dessert before me. I should get seconds, and thirds and…” he licked the shell of her ear and she shivered.

Toni rolled her eyes at them, grabbing Cheryl’s wrist and tugging her along in front of them. “Let’s get out of here, then. I’ve got my own dessert to eat.”

Jughead groaned while Sweet Pea snickered, the trio following behind them through the restaurant.

The car ride home was filled with awkward conversations that teetered on the edge of inappropriate, infused with thinly veiled shade.

It was fun.

When they reached the apartment, Betty slipped the wedges off her feet and traded them for the Converse she had left behind earlier. She handed them off to Sweet Pea who carried them wordlessly. 

Toni smirked, watching as Jughead scooped Betty up into his arms while Sweet Pea dangled her shoes from his fingers, arms swaying back and forth. She rolled her window down and leaned onto her folded forearms to speak to Betty, whom Jughead dangled near the window.

“Guess we both have a fun night planned. We should get a drink at the bar tomorrow,” her leer was deceptively beautiful. “If you can still walk.”

Sweet Pea flipped her off, but the grin on his face told Betty that he had plans to make good on that to the best of his ability.

It had her knees shaking and she wasn’t even standing.

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are happening! Sexy things. Which leads to good things. Which leads to more feelings, trust me. <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr! Send me asks, I love that shit.  
> [lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohmygod. I am very sorry this took like... so long?? I had it written but was posting other things/was trying to write ahead but of course that didn't happen the way I planned. So, enjoy this long awaited update. <3
> 
> [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com) and [opportunistichag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpportunisticHag/pseuds/OpportunisticHag) polishing things up like always. Man, I'd be a mess without them. Ot3 4eva.

 

Once Jughead had carried Betty to the top of the stairs and they all walked down the hallway to their front door, she remembered the mattress was still covered in plastic.

She pushed Jughead and Sweet Pea to sit on the couch while she made the bed quickly.

Picking up the set of new soft sheets that she had washed earlier in the morning, Betty spread them over the bed. She fingered the little white and yellow daisies that sprinkled the grey fabric. She doubted the boys would even notice. The quilt she had bought was more gender neutral, a pattern of greens and blues.

She left it off for now, no use in getting it dirty right away.

Betty turned the bedside lamp on and the ceiling light out, then pulled the tie out of her hair. She hung the cardigan she had been wearing back up in the closet, and then smoothed out the front of her dress as she looked in the mirror at Jughead’s dresser.

A quiet sigh left her as the butterflies twisted in her stomach, fluttering, and her hand dropped lower. Her fingers brushed the button just below her pubic bone when large hands came around her hips and flattened over hers.

Looking up, she watched Sweet Pea lean over her shoulder, eyes scrolling her body in the length of the mirror. His lips pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder and she felt her heart rate pick up as his hands bunched up the fabric of her dress.

Jughead appeared beside Sweet Pea in the mirror, moving a lock of her hair out of the way for Sweet Pea’s lips to continue on their path, and fingering the smooth strands. His eyes flickered up to hers and his smile was calming. “I couldn’t hold him back any longer.”

Her eyes rolled. “Obviously you didn’t try hard enough. I’m sure you could have found a way.”

Sweet Pea murmured against her shoulder before beginning to unbutton her dress from the bottom up. “He didn’t use enough tongue.”

Betty bit her lip, back arching against Sweet Pea’s chest as his fingers worked up her stomach, dress falling away inch by inch.

Jughead swatted at Sweet Pea with a huff, pushing his shoulder and sliding into the chuckling man's place. He took over undoing the rest of her buttons and helped her slide the dress over her shoulders. She kicked it away and turned in place.

“Why am I always the first to get naked?” she asked, fingers finding the buttons of Jughead’s shirt in a similar manner.

He shrugged, glancing over to Sweet Pea who was watching them intently. “You’re just the prettiest to look at?”

At that, Sweet Pea threw off his denim shirt and yanked on the back of his t-shirt, pulling it over his head in a flourish. He wadded it up and tossed it to the floor by Betty’s dress. He flexed a bit, which had her eyes rolling again.

“What are you saying, Jug? I’m not _pretty_?” He was pouting, thumbs hooking in the waistband of his jeans and dragging them down slightly.

The tattoo along his side disappeared underneath and she wanted to map it with her tongue. Her fingers fumbled with the last button of Jughead’s shirt and Sweet Pea smirked knowingly at her.

“Betty is definitely prettier. She’s gorgeous.” Jughead said, removing her hands from his chest where she was lingering. He slid the shirt from his shoulders and let it drop.

She watched him walk towards Sweet Pea, both of them in just their jeans, bare feet, and broad shoulders. Her knees knocked together as she chewed on her fingernail, watching Jughead slide up to the taller man.

“But you’re…” he trailed off a bit and her eyes widened, following Jughead’s hand when he drew the back of his knuckles down the center of Sweet Pea’s chest.

“Hard,” Jughead breathed, hand flipping over and pressing his palm to Sweet Pea’s toned stomach.

Betty mirrored Sweet Pea’s sharp intake of breath with her own.

Jughead’s hand slid back up, palm soothing over the planes of muscle. He fiddled with the dog tags at Sweet Pea’s sternum, pressing the metal into his skin.

“Lean,” Jughead said softly, hand sliding up over Sweet Pea’s collarbones. His thumb brushed across the ridge before sliding up over his snake tattoo. “Decorated.”

Their eyes met and Betty felt small, watching them. Her finger was between her teeth and she bit down when Jughead cupped Sweet Pea’s jaw. “You’re a work of art too. I’m just getting used to the view.”

Her heart soared as their lips came together.

Sweet Pea’s hands gripped Jughead’s sides, and they were kissing so softly that she thought she might faint.

It was so sensual and tender, the way their lips moved together.

Sweet Pea’s thumbs brushed over the juts of Jughead’s hip bones, and he leaned into the touch.

They were getting closer and closer, space between them closing, and finally, Betty had had enough of this turtle-like pace.

She padded over and put a hand on either of their backs, squishing them together as she tucked herself into Jughead’s side. “You two are driving me crazy, kiss faster.”

They pressed flush together, and Sweet Pea slung his arm around her waist and pulled her against them both. “You two drove _me_ crazy earlier,” he mumbled against Jughead’s lips.

Her hands wiggled between their hips, cupping a cock in each hand through the layers they still had on. “Well,” Betty drawled, delighting in the way Jughead bit at Sweet Pea’s lower lip, hips tilting into her hand. “We’re not exactly finished yet, are we, Juggie?”

His head shook, thumbs brushing Sweet Pea’s cheek softly before gripping his jaw and tilting his chin up. “Lay on the bed, SP.”

His voice, low and demanding, sent a shudder down her spine and it wasn’t even directed at her.

Sweet Pea’s eyes opened wide and he scanned Jughead’s face before switching to hers. She gave his cock an affectionate squeeze before retreating to push at his bottom. “You heard him — pants off, Sweets.”

He moved away, warily, hands reaching for the button and zipper of his jeans. “I think you guys are gonna kill me,” Sweet Pea said with raised eyebrows, kicking away his pants and boxers then reclining against the pillows of their new California king bed. His arms were spread out on either side, palms sliding against the sheets.

“Plenty of room up here for you two, now.”

Betty tucked her chin on top of Jughead’s shoulder, wrapping her arm around his waist. She used her other hand to tilt his head away from Sweet Pea, leaning into his ear.

“What’s the plan?” she breathed quietly against him, fingers sliding from his jaw to run down his neck. Her eyes were glued to Sweet Pea’s brown ones, watching them with his hands behind his head.

Jughead turned his face fully toward her, gathering her attention as he licked his lower lip. “You were saying you bought something fun, earlier?”

She looked back to Sweet Pea who had started to stroke his cock. The grin on her face made him pause, thumb rubbing the underside in light twitches.

“Oh, okay. You wanna _play._ I think he’d like that.” Betty pushed at Jughead, guiding him to the bed.

While Jughead shucked his pants, she turned around to pull open the top drawer of the dresser. She pushed aside a handful of lacy underwear to get to the bag she had hastily thrown in there when the mattress was being delivered.

She opened it, pulling out a coiled length of black nylon rope and a package of silicone rings. Tearing into it, she pulled one out and flexed it between her fingers. Then she pulled out the Wartenberg wheel she had added at the checkout of the shop she’d been in at the mall.

The girl at the checkout had told her that it caused a particularly interesting sensation, like tingling, little pinpricks.

When Betty turned back around with her prizes held behind her arms, she licked her lips at the sight that greeted her.

Jughead and Sweet Pea, entirely stripped of clothing, were a piece of art in tanned skin, lean muscles, and hard angles. Jughead had crawled onto the bed and lain next to him, one knee hooked over Sweet Pea’s and an elbow propping his head up.

They were so close, Jughead’s front pressed to Sweet Pea’s side, and she wanted to swing her legs over both of their laps, spreading herself wide enough for them to take turns fucking up into her.

Jughead’s hand had started a slow drift from Sweet Pea’s sternum to his pelvis, ending in his fingers scratching through the trail of dark hair.

Her heart beat wildly in her chest while her cheeks and belly burned with the same licking heat. She was waiting, waiting for Jughead to wrap his hand around Sweet Pea’s own and slide up and down.

Instead, blue eyes found hers as his hand flattened against Sweet Pea’s stomach, fingers drumming a little pattern on the taut skin. “Come on, Betty.”

Sweet Pea looked over at her with half-lidded eyes, as if he was dizzy, drunk on the intoxicating swirl of heat and scent of the man next to him. He already looked blissed out, on the brink of an orgasm.

Considering they’d been teasing him all night at dinner, she wasn’t exactly surprised.

With a coy smile, Betty padded across the short distance and kneeled on the bed. She kept her balance surprising well, with her hands still folded behind her back, as she worked her knees up either side of Sweet Pea’s legs.

She wedged into the space on his thighs, sitting just above where Jughead had hooked his knee. Her leg curled underneath Jughead’s thigh until they were all good and properly tangled together.

Hovering above Sweet Pea, she clicked her tongue at him when he tried to touch her. “Nope,” she shook her head at his huff of displeasure. “You’ve been a very bad boy today, Sweets.”

Betty leaned forward, her back arching as she brought her face close to his. She let her breath fan his face, to which he sucked in his own sharp breath. She smiled as his eyes closed and tilted her wrist out for Jughead.

The rope was plucked from her grasp and she held onto the remaining items, gathered in one hand. “Time for you to beg for forgiveness.”

“I don’t beg,” Sweet Pea challenged.

Her lips curved into a grin. “Oh, you will.”

Jughead curled his hand around one of Sweet Pea’s wrists just as she went for the other.

Her eyes met with Jughead’s before flashing to the brown ones that had widened, gaze flickering between them.

Together, Betty and Jughead pulled Sweet Pea’s arms above his head. He grunted, but didn’t resist much as Jughead grasped his hands together in his own.

Betty took the rope back from where Jughead had set it, winding the black nylon around Sweet Pea’s wrists intricately. Her days of being a Girl Scout, obsessed with Nancy Drew, came in handy for more than picking locks. A girl should always know how to tie a strong knot.

She twisted the rope together, end pulled tight into a loop that she fastened around the middle peg of the headboard.

“That’s for not finishing me off at the dinner table.” Betty tapped him on the nose then his mouth, his teeth snapping after her finger as she dragged his lower lip down. She tugged on it before letting go, finger gliding down his throat and chest. “Had to ask Juggie for help, since you’re so mean.”  
  
Jughead’s hand joined in the descent down Sweet Pea’s body, fingers chasing after hers. “You should have tasted her yourself, SP."  He leaned in closer, lips brushing at Sweet Pea’s ear.  
  
Betty felt the shiver and contraction of Sweet Pea’s abdominals under her fingers and dug her nails against their quiver.  
  
“Once you gave me a taste, I couldn't run after her fast enough.” Jughead pressed a kiss to the underside of Sweet Pea’s ear, lips continuing downward. “I ate her out on the bathroom sink like she was a damn buffet.”  
  
Sweet Pea swallowed thickly, hands flexing in the restraints as his shoulders tightened. “I would have liked to see that,” was the only response he could muster.  
  
Betty grabbed hold of Sweet Pea’s cock, fingers wrapping around the base of him and holding tightly. He released a shaky breath, thighs tense under her own. She licked her lips, head rolling back as Jughead spoke, heat flaring through her limbs in fiery waves.  
  
“Maybe we’ll put on a repeat performance for you. Would you like that? All tied up and helpless while I fuck Betty with my tongue?" Jughead breathed against Sweet Pea's bobbing adam's apple. "Whose name do you think she'll scream? Mine or yours? Maybe both."

A shiver tracked down her spine at the image Jughead’s words provoked in her brain. She looked over her shoulder at the dresser just across from the bed and bit her lip. It was the perfect height for Sweet Pea to get an eyeful of Jughead’s tongue buried deep inside her.

Plucking up one of the flexible silicone bands, she stretched it between her fingers, wiggling it in front of Sweet Pea’s face. “You’ll definitely be begging for something with this on.”

Betty stretched her fingers over Sweet Pea’s cock, sliding the band over him. She cupped his balls, fingers rolling them back and forth, and his head fall back before she stretched the silicone around him completely. Letting go, she watched his cock twitch within it's new constraint, much like his arms that jerked against the rope.

“Fuck, Betty — you kinky little shit.” Sweet Pea grinned.

It made her rock her hips where she was seated on his thighs, elation bubbling in her chest at his willingness.

Jughead wrapped a hand around Sweet Pea’s cock then, and Betty watched with her lip between her teeth.

“Time to shut up, Sweets,” Jughead mumbled before crashing their lips together.

It was one thing to watch them kiss, but to watch them kiss without clothes, underneath her, Jughead’s hand sliding up and down on Sweet Pea’s cock — well, that was another thing entirely.

She shimmied backward, prying Jughead’s leg from Sweet Pea’s while they traded wet, sloppy kisses.

Jughead was building a slow, steady rhythm with one hand while the other gripped Sweet Pea’s chin bruisingly.

Her fingers circled the second silicone band and she slid it down Jughead’s cock in the same fashion she had with Sweet Pea. “Now you match,” she cooed to deaf ears.

Clasping her hands together, Betty captured the image of them like a picture in her brain, storing it for future recollection. They looked so pretty together.

Shaking her head, she picked up the little roller wheel, running the edge of the spikes along the length of her index finger. It gave a feeling akin to pins and needles, a tingling sensation that left her a little numb the more she went over the skin.

Betty shivered and hooked her toes underneath Sweet Pea’s calves, settling below his knees. She placed the tip of the red tool to his knee and rolled up his thigh in a straight line.

Sweet Pea peeked an eye open at her and she waved the wheel at him. She pinched her fingers together in a gesture for him to close his eyes and get back to making out with Jughead.

When he did so, Betty ran the wheel up and down the front of his thighs slowly at first, gradually increasing the pressure. Moving to his inner thighs created the effect she was looking for.

Bucking up into Jughead’s hand, Sweet Pea had to pull his mouth away to pant when she ran the tool over the juts of his hips. “That feels nice,” he choked out, as Jughead thumbed the head of his cock, making the words crack in his throat.

Jughead took the opportunity to work his way down Sweet Pea’s neck, alternating bites and kisses and sucking at his skin. He was shimmying down as he went, and Betty saw his blue eyes flash back toward her in a silent message.

“Just nice?” Jughead murmured against Sweet Pea’s collarbone. He twisted his hand on the upstroke, drawing an indecent whimper from the man's lips.

Betty grinned, running the red tool over Sweet Pea’s hips, pelvis, and thighs with a steady hand as she leaned forward to hover over him on her elbows.

Just as Sweet Pea had opened his eyes, they rolled back in his head. Betty had wrapped her lips around his cock. “Fucking hell—” his words dissolved into a moan.

She fluttered her eyelashes sweetly at Jughead who held Sweet Pea’s cock steady for her as she swirled her tongue around and around.

A string of incoherent babble fell from Sweet Pea’s lips as he pressed his head back into the pillow, his hips bucking upwards and his arms testing the rope’s durability.

“Don’t you want to watch her suck your cock?” she heard Jughead say.

Taking a breath in through her nose, Betty looked up through her lashes at Sweet Pea.

His chest was heaving and his arms were straining against the rope. Fingers curled, white knuckled around the strands, while he rubbed his wrists raw.

Jughead tipped Sweet Pea’s jaw down with his fingers. “Look at her.”

She shuddered involuntarily as their eyes met, just as Sweet Pea bucked up into her mouth and she swallowed around him.  

“Betty, ah — so, so, so good.” Sweet Pea panted at her, voice raspy and broken.

She pulled away from his cock with a resounding pop. “Don’t get too comfortable.”

His hiss was sharp in her ears as his hips dropped back to the bed, knees lifting to try and slide her down towards his pelvis.

Betty planted one hand against the bed to better hold herself in place, the other running the red tool over Sweet Pea’s hips with forceful pressure, albeit slowly. “You’re treading a fine line right now,” she said in a soft singsong voice.

Jughead tsked at Sweet Pea, shoving his head back into the pillow and sliding down his body a little more.

She ran the red wheel through the line of hair at Sweet Pea’s belly, outlining his cock with strokes at his skin. His muscles were contracting and his cock twitching delightfully. With a change in direction, Betty pressed the wheel to the underside of Sweet Pea’s cock, rolling up and then back down.

“Oh,” he drawled, thighs clenching under her as his heels dug into the mattress.

“Feel _nice_?” she questioned, glancing to Jughead.

Rolling his eyes at her, he rolled over onto his stomach and pushed against her thigh.

Sweet Pea only nodded at her, moan dropping from his lips as she ran it over him again and again.

Betty shifted a little, tossing the tool up on the nightstand before she settled back down. She straddled Sweet Pea’s thigh and ground down against him with her palms pressed to the bed. Her lips parted in a quiet, breathy moan that had him looking up at her with dilated pupils.

Jughead raised up onto his knees and moved between Sweet Pea’s legs, his arm curling around her waist and pulling her back against his chest.

His lips found her ear, tongue licking against her neck. The warm breath and his palm spreading against her belly had her gnawing at her lip.

“Put your mouth back on him,” Jughead whispered into her ear, brushing her hair from her shoulders.

Leaning forward, Betty did as she was told. Her lips wrapped around the tip of Sweet Pea’s cock as she danced her fingers up and down the underside. She sucked at him, tongue flicking out and wetting him.

Jughead's hand pressed at her lower back, sliding up against her skin before heading back down. Then, he was leaning down over her, pressing his chest at her shoulder and a kiss to her cheek. “Why don’t we share?” he murmured, his other hand curling over Sweet Pea’s hip.

She gasped at the same time Sweet Pea gurgled out a squeaky, “ _What?_ ”

“Really?” Betty’s eyebrows raised and she felt her heartbeat in her clit.

Jughead shrugged a shoulder lazily. “Yeah, you can teach me, Betts.” His grin was lopsided — genuine.

Immediately, she pushed at Sweet Pea’s thigh to get him to spread his legs wider to make room for them both.

His cock twitched in anticipation and the headboard creaked as he tried to raise up to look down at them. “Guys—”

He quieted when Betty wrapped her hand in Jughead’s hair, tugging him down to eye level with her, their faces in front of Sweet Pea’s cock.

Their lips came together first, meeting in wet, breathy kisses to get Jughead’s lips warmed up and buzzing. She licked at the corners of his mouth, fingers pulling at his hair.

“Ready?” Betty mumbled against his mouth, her stomach and thighs clenching as she rocked atop Sweet Pea.

Jughead nodded at her, his own little shaky inhale of breath filling the air.

She tilted his face with her hand so that they were both facing Sweet Pea’s cock— red, swollen, and twitching just for them.

“Oh god, I’m about to be murdered,” Sweet Pea grumbled above them. “You’re literally going to _kill_ —”

The rest of his sentence got stuck in his throat, a hearty choking noise coming out instead as Jughead’s lips wrapped around his cock.

Betty laughed wickedly and flattened her other hand over Sweet Pea’s stomach. Her breath fanned against the sensitive skin as she drew her face in close to Jughead’s, then she slid her tongue up a pulsing vein.

“Just enjoy it. Though you aren’t gonna be coming anytime soon,” she teased, teeth nipping at the silicone around his base.

He writhed underneath them as Jughead bobbed his head a little, making an indecent slurping sound.

Jughead’s cheeks quickly turned pink and Betty was sure that they were burning hot. She smiled at him encouragingly, pressing a kiss to Sweet Pea’s cock, close to his mouth. His lips found hers again, both mouths warm, wet, and slippery as they kissed. They began to alternate between kissing each other, and licking and sucking at opposite sides of the cock before them.

Betty’s fingers massaged Jughead’s scalp soothingly as she licked a long stripe up the side of Sweet Pea’s cock. She closed her mouth around his tip and sucked, hollowing her cheeks.

He bucked up into her mouth, a handful of curses filling the air Jughead ran his tongue up the side.

Jughead’s fingers dug tightly into both Sweet Pea’s hip and Betty’s back, pushing her forward and pulling Sweet Pea against them.

Sweet Pea groaned above them, “Betts, ugh, I’m… I’m gonna…” His head lolled back against the pillow as she looked up at him.

“I’m _close_ ,” he panted desperately.

She pulled her mouth off him, one hand wrapping around the base of his cock and squeezing tightly while the other flew up from his stomach to slap over his mouth.

“Don’t you dare,” Betty gritted out, his whine muffled by her palm. She tightened her grip over his mouth and nodded at Jughead who snickered.

He leaned forward and slid Sweet Pea’s cock into his mouth. His head bobbed, and he sucked, swallowing all the way to her fingers.

“So good, Juggie,” Betty praised, his hum of a reply making Sweet Pea groan under her hand.

Her head tilted up to Sweet Pea and she pressed down more firmly against his mouth to bring his attention away from the ceiling. His pupils were blown wide and she felt his huff against her palm.

She grinned at him, her fingers unrelenting in their hold on his cock. “Don’t you wanna come inside me, Sweet Pea?”

He shuddered, silent, and Betty growled.

“Stop, Jughead. He’s had enough.”

Jughead pulled away from Sweet Pea’s cock with a wet smacking sound while she kept her firm grip. He wiped at his mouth with the back of his forearm and then looked at her.

“My lips are all tingly,” he observed, amused.

Betty rolled her eyes, “Now you know how I feel.”

Sweet Pea groaned against her hand when she let go of his cock. His hips raised into the air as his arms strained against the rope, a muffled “ _come on_ ” filtering through her fingers.

“Ah, ah, ah,” she tutted, reaching up and tapping at his nose. “What’s the magic word?”

His eyes squeezed shut, resolutely silent as his lips pursed under palm. Betty giggled.

“O- _kay,_ ” she drawled, looking back to Jughead. “Time for that repeat performance.”

Her hand left Sweet Pea’s mouth and he followed, neck straining up as he snapped his teeth at her. She glared at him, pinching his inner thigh until he flattened against the bed and writhed away from her.

“Betty…” Sweet Pea said indignantly.

Cupping her hand around her ear, she smiled, “Yes?”

“You’re going to regret this,” he stated simply, dark eyes burrowing into her soul and instantaneously making her feel both icy cold and burning hot.

Betty waved him off, but excitement brewed in her belly at the thought of _punishment._ “I’ll worry about that later.” Her fingers drummed against her thigh and she looked to Jughead, “I have a fun idea.”

Drawing him in with a hand at the back of his head, Betty whispered into his ear and then watched him grin.

“I love you.” Jughead pressed an enthusiastic kiss to her lips.

Sweet Pea tensed underneath her.

Chewing on her cheek, she pushed at Jughead to move so she could have room to spread out.

She tilted her chin at Sweet Pea. “Sit up some, scoot your bottom up so I can sit in your lap.”

He looked at her with what she hoped was breaking resolve, and then did as she asked regardless.

Once Sweet Pea managed to use the rope to pull himself to a somewhat reclined position against the headboard, Betty climbed between his legs with her back to his chest. He released a shuddered breath against her neck when she spread her legs in his lap, hooking them over his.

Leaning back, she tucked her head into the crook of Sweet Pea’s neck as she wiggled her back against his cock sandwiched between them. She held onto his thighs for support and whispered up at him, “You’re going to watch as Jughead eats me out this time.”

“Fuck me,” Sweet Pea groaned, and she reached one hand up over her head to thread through his hair. She tugged, pulling a grunt from him.

“Working up to it.”

Jughead slid between both of their legs, his hands gliding up Sweet Pea’s first before switching to Betty’s. He lowered down to his stomach on the bed and curved his hands under her ass, kneading and producing a pleasant hum from her throat.

“You can’t see it, Sweets, but she is — So. Fucking. Wet.”

Jughead’s enunciation of each word sucked the breath from her lungs. He immediately raised her up to bring her pussy to his mouth.

“Ah —” Betty couldn’t form any coherent words as Jughead’s lips closed around her clit. His tongue laved in circles against her and she melted back into Sweet Pea’s chest.

The growl in her ear sent her eyes up to the ceiling and the buck of Sweet Pea’s hips below her  had her back arching.

“I wanna touch you,” Sweet Pea rasped.

If Betty could have spoken, she would have. But she was only able to give a hum of smug proportions, head tilting to let her lips find Sweet Pea’s jaw and mouth the line of it.

Jughead’s hands quelled her rocking hips, holding her steady to the assault of his tongue at her clit. He was relentless; mouth working her over until she felt like shattering into a million splinters.

“S—Sweet Pea,” she stuttered, fingers clawing and tangling in both men’s hair.

Sweet Pea tensed underneath her, hips jerking as he slammed his chin hard against her shoulder. “Shit, shit, shit,” dropped from his lips and his teeth grit together.

Jughead was lapping up and down her slit, tongue dipping hotly into her with shallow thrusts. It made her pussy clench and a moan bubbled in her chest that sounded as light as airy as she felt.

Her eyes opened in time to watch Sweet Pea’s clench shut. Then, he whimpered and his body stilled against her. There was a liquid warmth at her back, droplets dotting her skin in wet splashes.

Sweet Pea’s deep exhale as his body relaxed had her fingers tightening into a fist in his hair, bringing his head back up sharply.

He opened one eye warily, looking at Betty from the corner of his eye. “Oops?”

Jughead sucked loudly at her clit which produced a shudder and spasm of her hips as he ate at her greedily.

Her mouth gaped like a fish, words forming on her tongue but lost to the orgasm ripping through her like a thunderous crack of lightning. It left her skin sizzling and her hair standing on end.

Sweet Pea nuzzled her neck with his nose as she panted while Jughead kept swirling his tongue against her, making her thoughts even fuzzier.

Betty shoved both of their heads away for different reasons.

“Jughead,” she called warningly, pulling her knees up and pushing at his shoulders with her toes. “Sweet Pea just came all over my back.”

Raising his eyebrows into his hairline, Jughead drew up until he was kneeling between Betty’s spread legs. “Seriously?” He asked after licking his lips with purpose, an indiscernible gleam in his blue eyes. His arms extended, grabbing hold of her and tugging her forward onto her knees, scooping her up against him tightly.

The embrace was welcoming, even if he was just sneaking a look over her shoulder to find the mess on her back. She sighed, curling into Jughead’s chest and wiggling her head into his neck.

Her arms found purchase looped around his waist and she relished in the pure contact between their bodies. “Yeah,” was the only thing she could manage in reply, feeling just a bit heavy with sleep.

Curling his fingers around her biceps, Jughead squeezed lovingly before pulling one hand away.

Betty slumped into him, hips jutting backward as she let her eyes fall closed for a moment.

Jughead’s fingers were gliding over her side, dancing around to her back. She was suddenly very much awake as he swirled his fingers in the come on her skin.

“Mm,” he hummed in her ear, fingers gathering the wetness at her back. “SP’s still hard, you know?”

With a blink, Betty looked over her shoulder.

“It’s this fucking cock ring,” Sweet Pea groaned, hips rocking into the air as his legs tried to close around the pair of them. His cock was a mess, dripping and coated with come but still hard.

“I gotta come again, Betty.” He looked up to the ropes annoyed, then back to her. “ _Please.”_

His whisper of a plea was so quiet that she wasn’t sure whether she had heard it or simply imagined it.

“Excuse me? What was that?” Betty choked out around her grin.

Sweet Pea narrowed his eyes but didn’t repeat himself.

Jughead pulled his wet fingers from her back and brought them to her lips with a pointed glance at her mouth.

She looked up at him for a second before grabbing his wrist in her hand and lapping at his fingers like he had with her pussy. She pulled them in, sucking with a loud slurp.

“Guys, that isn’t helping.”

“Just getting her warmed up for you.” Jughead smirked and Betty bit gently on his fingers. He pecked her forehead with a kiss, smoothing her sweaty hair away.

Licking Sweet Pea’s come from Jughead’s fingers got her skin buzzing again. She was still wet, pussy throbbing to be filled.

It was then, with her lips still wrapped around his fingers, that Jughead leaned over her and she could hear the slip of the rope as he tugged on the quick release knot.

Pulling back from his fingers, Betty sucked a breath in just as a hand clamped over her mouth.

Her eyes widened, hands coming up to grab at Sweet Pea’s forearm that had settled between her breasts. He hauled her back against himself, breath hot in her ear as he mocked her own words.

“What was that?” Sweet Pea asked dryly, teeth just grazing the shell of her ear. His other hand dipped low on her belly, fingers spreading her pussy then cupping her with his palm. “You’ll have to speak up, Betts.”

It sent a jolt through Betty’s limbs, tiny electric shocks that had her writhing in his arms. Her eyes screwed shut and she hissed through her teeth as Sweet Pea ground his palm against her clit. Oversensitive and with legs like Jell-O, she could do little but paw at his arms like a helpless kitten.

Sweet Pea chuckled in her ear, hand retreating only to deliver a smack to her pussy that had her biting down on her tongue as licks of pleasure surged up her spine.

After she released a muffled moan, his other hand slipped from her mouth to her throat. He caressed the hollow under her chin before curling his fingers around her neck and pressing lightly.

“Still couldn’t hear you,” Sweet Pea taunted, fingers smoothing over her thigh.

Betty huffed, opening her eyes.

Jughead was watching them appreciatively, one hand on his cock making languid strokes. “She can be just as stubborn as you, SP,” he said absently, eyes trailing over the picture of them.

Pinching her nipple, with fingers covered in pre-come, Sweet Pea sent Betty practically doubling over as far as she could, sighing as he tweaked her.

“Now fuck her. We’re all tired of waiting.”

Sweet Pea grinned into the back of her neck, his hand roaming her thighs, belly, and back while he squeezed at her throat with gentle pressure. “We’re _all_ tired, hm?” he murmured along her skin, cock grinding against her ass.

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to sleep for a year after tonight.” Betty’s voice sounded as rough as her throat felt, as if she’d just eaten a handful of gravel.

He nipped at her ear and she squirmed away from him. “Good thing we got this mattress just for you, little dove.”

Jughead tugged Sweet Pea’s hand from her throat, and he let it fall away. She sucked in a breath and felt the dizziness dissipate.

She took another slow breath, hands splaying over her thighs as excitement curled in her belly. Despite everything, she was still nervous for this moment. Looking over her shoulder, she gazed up at Sweet Pea demurely. “How do you want me?”

It was meant to be deeper than face value, and she hoped it rang the correct bells. Giving herself to him was what she hoped would cement their relationship.

Betty did feel a bit like Sansa Stark, growing from porcelain, to ivory, to steel. Both Jughead and Sweet Pea were catalysts to her endgame, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sweet Pea’s face had gone from serious to boyish in the blink of an eye, and she wanted to cup his cheek and kiss him sweetly for it.

“Oh,” he coughed, clearing his throat. “R—right. Um, vanilla. Good ol’ vanilla is perfect. I want your legs wrapped around me.”

His cheeks were pink and she leaned up to pepper kisses to his cheekbones, forehead, and nose while she cupped his neck. Her thumb grazed his tattoo absently as their lips met, his breath stuttering against her face as they traded kisses.

Betty glanced back to Jughead and he smiled at her, fingers reaching out and squeezing her outstretched hand affectionately.

Tilting her head, she pressed her lips to Jughead’s and they exchanged a kiss that had her head swimming and her heart beating wildly.

Carefully, Betty shuffled on her knees, switching places with Sweet Pea and dragging him down on top of her.

Moving beside them, Jughead propped himself up next them. He licked his lower lip and gazed at them like all he was missing was a bucket of popcorn. Although, his hands might have been a little busy for that.

Sweet Pea’s weight was warm and comforting, like a security blanket. Resting back against the pillows, she looked up at him and drew a line from his forehead to his chin with her finger. Her thumb brushed the little indents at the corners of his mouth where he was smiling down at her, then at the curl laying on his forehead.

The butterflies in Betty’s stomach were swirling and she couldn’t help the words that tumbled with fervor from her lips. “I love you, Sweet Pea.”

His exhale against her face was shaky, fingers grabbing hold of her knees as she brought them up around his hips.

Jughead’s palm slid over her shoulder and her heart swelled at his presence and the calmness he emanated.  

“I — I love you too, Betty.” Sweet Pea’s eyes searched hers wistfully, and found nothing but warmth reflected back at him.

Her fingers danced down the side of his face and she pulled him to kiss her one more time before tapping his cheek. “Okay, big boy, let’s go. Wow me,” Betty said with a flutter of her eyelashes.

“So eloquent.” Jughead leaned in close to her ear, fingers trailing down her shoulder, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

She flipped him off.

The easy back and forth seemed to be doing wonders for Sweet Pea who had finally relaxed between Betty’s legs, hooking her knees fully around his hips as he settled back to look down at her.

“Can’t say I’ll live up to Jug’s enthusiasm on the first try, considering I’m about to blow just _looking_ at you like this.” He flexed his hands at her hips, fingers smoothing away all the worries she could have ever had. “But, I’ll give it my best.”

“Plus, you _have_ got me and my enthusiasm. Still here, you know?” Jughead flicked Sweet Pea across the neck, who snapped his teeth at him playfully.

“I know. You’ll get your turn sooner than I would like to give up mine, I’m sure.”

Betty sighed dramatically, “I just love getting passed around like a bowl of chips—”

There was a slight hitch to her voice, as Sweet Pea slid into her in one swift movement. “ _Oh_.”

He was hot velvet, thick and long, and he made her feel so incredibly full. Her pussy throbbed, clenching around Sweet Pea’s cock as she arched her back and tilted her hips, pulling him the rest of the way in.

Jughead nuzzled her, nose brushing her neck and fingers caressing the side of her breast. “My favorite chips.”

“Fuck, guys—” Sweet Pea had shut his eyes, “Stop talking about food when I’m balls deep in your pussy already about to come.”

The giggle that left Betty’s lips really couldn’t be helped. “Okay, enough food talk,” she murmured, hands sliding from Sweet Pea’s neck to glide across his shoulders and back. She was subtly rocking her hips, rubbing her clit against his pubic bone as he pressed down against her.

Sweet Pea’s hands circled her hips, large palms scooping her up and tilting her pelvis up to fit against him. “Legs,” he groaned, head nuzzling into her neck opposite Jughead.

Shifting slightly, Betty wrapped her legs around Sweet Pea, ankles locking at his back. Her mouth dropped open, neck arching into the pillow, as she began to pant with the new angle of the position.

They were movingly much too slowly for her liking, but the subtle build of her orgasm would undoubtedly be worth it in the end.

Jughead’s hand at her side wandered further, palm spreading across the skin of her belly and ribs, drawing circles that had no right to feel as good as they did.

“Does she feel good, SP?”

Turning her head, Betty bit her lip as Sweet Pea’s hips stuttered at the question, slamming into her harder.

“Yes—” Sweet Pea groaned into her ear. “Amazing.”

The hand on her belly lifted and she watched as Jughead’s fingers touched Sweet Pea’s chest.

His fingers glided over tan skin, pressing in along the lines of ink then tugging on the set of dog tags Sweet Pea never took off.

“Good.” Jughead breathed against her, lips finding her neck and pressing a kiss to the thrum of her pulse. “I like seeing you two together. More than I thought I would.” He nipped at her neck while his hand moved to trail up and down Sweet Pea’s arm.

Betty could see the shake of Sweet Pea’s arms as her legs tightened around his waist. She hummed, fingernails raking lightly down his back. “Take that cock ring off, Sweets. I want you to come inside me.”

He slammed into her harder, pressing against all the right spots and turning her vision a bit blurry.

Blinking furiously before she lost herself to the sensation thrumming under her skin, Betty dug her fingernails deeper into his back. “Please,” she moaned.

Jughead’s hand met one of hers, interlocking their fingers to guide light touches along Sweet Pea’s shoulder blades and spine.

It was hard to tell exactly what Sweet Pea was moaning in response to. He snapped his hips into hers roughly. Her breath caught in her throat before he pulled all the way out and sat back on his heels.

“Okay—” Sweet Pea pulled the silicone band off. “ _Jesus fucking Christ_.”

He wrapped a hand around the base of his cock and looked to her with pupils so dilated that all she saw was black before they promptly clenched shut. He hunched over, head sinking into the pillow next to her.

Betty smiled, dipping her hands into the hair at the base of his neck and curling the strands around her fingers. “It’s okay,” she said soothingly, doing her best to keep still for him.

He panted against her neck, collecting himself.

Jughead’s hand hovered above Sweet Pea’s shoulder, looking like he wanted to give him an empathetic pat.

“Just don’t… don’t move,” Sweet Pea muttered, pulling back from Betty’s neck. He released the hand on his cock and sighed, eyes opening. Then, he reached over to Jughead, fingers barely pressing in against his chest and pushing.

Laying on his back, Jughead looked at the hand on his chest before his eyes flickered back up and he relaxed next to her.

Sweet Pea let his fingers linger before dipping lower. He traced the line of Jughead’s stomach, fingers following down the trail of dark hair.

Betty chewed on her lip to keep from rocking her hips as Sweet Pea wrapped a hand around Jughead’s cock.

“Ah, Sweets,” Jughead choked out, hips bucking upwards.

Sliding his hand up and down Jughead’s cock a few times, Sweet Pea grinned sheepishly. “Sadly, I just have plans to take this off,” he said, slipping the matching silicone band off. “But, we can revisit this scenario _anytime_.”

The wink he gave Jughead sent Betty’s heart fluttering and it wasn’t even directed at her.

Jughead sighed, falling back into the bed and throwing his hands over his face. He scrubbed at his eyes before dragging his hands away and throwing a serious expression back on. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Betty rolled her eyes but released a breath of joy when Jughead’s hand squeezed her breast, his palm simply cupping and holding her.

“Okay,” she tapped Sweet Pea’s forearms with a drum of her fingers. “Now — fuck me, _hard_ , into this brand new mattress like I’ve been fantasizing about for _weeks_.” Inhaling deeply at the way his brown eyes bore into her, she added, “I’ve had to get myself off a couple times thinking about it.”

“What? Where was I?” Jughead practically whined into her neck, his body curving into her side as he rubbed his cock at her hip.

Sweet Pea released the breath he was holding, fingers sliding up her thighs as he dipped forward and nudged his cock against her pussy. “No talking either,” he groaned.

“Oh, now where’s the fun in that?” Betty dug her heels into Sweet Pea’s backside and yanked him forward to slide into her.

His guttural, “Fuuuuuck,” sounded heady and immediately had her clenching around him.

Jughead’s fingers came down and pinched her nipple. She gasped, head thrown back into the pillow.

There was a buzzing in Betty’s ears that was growing and a spiral blazing in her bones. She tightened her legs, hips rocking upward, grinding her clit against Sweet Pea.

His fingers gripped her hips, and he pulled out completely before surging forward. He set a steady pace of deep thrusts, his breath fanning her neck as he panted.

“Harder,” she called out breathlessly as Jughead’s fingers circled her nipple, his breath at her other ear. Her eyes kept closing and opening, vision going back to fuzzy as the words stopped in her throat.

Sweet Pea groaned, “Betty, I _can’t_ anymore.”

Her head shook between them, her nails taking hold of Sweet Pea’s sides. She was trembling all over, hips slowing and seeking the deep thrusts that they had settled into.

“I’m close, so close,” Betty clenched her eyes shut and felt her insides crack and crumble as she teetered on the edge of breaking through to sheer bliss.

Jughead took pity on her and wedged his hand between them, fingers finding her clit and rubbing as Sweet Pea stilled inside her. “Let go,” he said softly and low, like time itself had grown sluggish with his words.

Sweet Pea was saying Betty’s name, repeating it like a mantra. His arms curled under her back, holding her impossibly close as he spasmed inside her.

“Sweets,” she whimpered, body letting go of the tension that had been coiling so tightly. She wanted to sob.

They had unravelled her; picked her apart piece by piece, and then put her back together gradually. Like the first tick of a clock on stopped watch, Betty felt the seconds turn to minutes. Her head pressed into the pillow, toes curled, back arched.

Sweet Pea pulled out of her once he had gone soft and she’d stopped pulsing around him.

Opening her eyes, the world seemed to settle once again. Breath came easier as she caught up to herself.

A shiver ran down Betty’s spine and she spasmed again when Sweet Pea cupped his palm over her pussy. Her legs fell away from his waist and her fingers curled around his wrist. “Don’t let go,” she warned, with a careful thought to her new bedsheets.

In hindsight, she should have put a towel down.

Jughead swatted at Sweet Pea’s hand and with a silent exchange of raised of eyebrows between them, they traded places.

Flopping down beside her with enough force to send her bouncing in place, Sweet Pea collapsed into the bed and yawned.

“Tired?” Betty teased, breath hitching as she became very aware of Jughead’s fingers sinking into her pussy and curling.

“Uh, yeah. Tired and sore.” Sweet Pea rubbed at his wrists, slightly raw from the rope. He looked over at them, throwing one arm up to cradle his head. “ _Just fuck her_ , Jug,” he mimicked, tugging on a strand of her blonde hair with a smirk.

Betty’s head tilted toward Sweet Pea. His brown eyes were warm, rich, and so satisfied that she felt her heart ache.

“My pleasure.”

Then, Jughead pulled his fingers out of her and she snapped her legs together. “What—”

In one motion he rolled her onto her belly and climbed over her.

Shaking the hair from her face, Betty only had time to grab a fistful of the sheets before Jughead was yanking her hips into the air and wedging between her knees.

He guided his cock forward, sliding along her skin to gather up the come that had spilled down her thighs despite their care. Letting out a satisfied hum, he rubbed up and down her swollen slit, nudging her clit repeatedly.

It shocked her into a cascade of spasms that had her burying her face into the pillow. “Oh, _oh_ ,” she choked out, turning her face toward Sweet Pea and sucking in a breath through her teeth.

“Beautiful,” Sweet Pea whispered. He was watching them, one hand trailing over Betty’s wrist where she was clutching at the sheets desperately.

Jughead thrust inside of her, making slick sounds that turned the tips of her ears red, and then back out — over and over and over.

His voice was sinfully sweet and rough, sending shivers down her spine. “God, Betts. You’re so fucking wet with SP’s come.”

His hips snapped into her with enough force to send her careening forward in the bed.  

Betty knocked her head against the headboard, palms coming up to flatten against it as she pushed back to hold herself in place. “Shit — Jughead,” she chastised.

In a tortuous manner, she clenched her pussy with purpose around his cock.

Falling forward over her back a bit, Jughead spread his hands up her sides then wiggled them between her body and sheets. “Sorry,” he said offhandedly, fingers finding her breasts and palming them in apology.

Sweet Pea ran his fingers over Betty’s shoulder and arm, touch feather light, but when combined with her grind back against Jughead, it drew a moan from her lips. His mumbled words hit her ears and had her clenching for other reasons. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Everything,” Jughead praised endearingly, when the words failed to come from her parted lips. “You deserve the world, Sweets.”

He leaned further over Betty’s back and from the corner of her eye she watched as he hooked his finger under Sweet Pea’s dog tags and tugged.

Sitting up, Sweet Pea tipped Jughead’s jaw to him and they kissed in a moment of stillness.

When they seperated, Jughead slumped against Betty, cheek to her spine. His hands moved back to her breasts, rubbing her nipples with deliberate slowness as he mouthed at the base of her neck.

She pushed her hips back, pressing his cock deeper inside of her, and his teeth cut into her shoulder at the action. “ _I_ deserve to come again.”

Sweet Pea snorted next to her and she glared at him.

“The pecking order is _really_ obvious, Ducks,” he tutted, finger gliding up her arm. Jughead snapped his teeth at him as he trailed a path up to her cheek. He brushed her nose in a familiar manner, then his face softened. “As it should be.”

Her lips grazed Sweet Pea’s knuckles as he trailed them down her cheek and over her jaw. She sighed, leaning into his palm as he cradled her face.

With her eyes shut again, Betty had to breathe through her nose as Jughead’s cock nudged inside her at just the right place.

“There,” she gasped with a suddenly dry mouth. Her knuckles turned white against the headboard. “Harder.”

Straightening back up, Jughead’s fingers tweaked her nipple one last time before he slammed into her.

Betty’s mouth dropped open and her tongue felt like cotton. “ _Juggie,_ ” she whined, as Sweet Pea’s hand slipped from her cheek and she buried her face into the pillow.

Sensation flamed through her and it burned and burned and burned so good.

Curling her fingers, Betty’s nails scratched faint lines into the wood of the new headboard that she wouldn’t find until later.

The adrenaline in her veins pulsed and thrummed with a life of its own. Sound stuck in the base of her throat as her lips parted silently, eyes rolling back in her head.

Every orgasm had felt stronger than the last, and this one was infinitely better than any she could ever give herself. It was a high she wouldn’t mind chasing for the rest of her life.

When Betty came back down from the faraway place she had drifted, she spit out a mouthful of pillow.

“Turn over,” Jughead panted, voice strained. “I wanna come on your tits.”

She couldn’t move, not really.

Sweet Pea helped her, arms scooping her up and turning her over against his chest. His hand smoothed over her hair and she relaxed into him as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

Her legs curled up between Jughead’s as he walked his knees up her thighs. The wetness and come started to leak from between her legs and she squeezed them closer together.

Betty focused on Jughead pumping his cock over her. She cupped her breasts, kneading as she arched her chest out.

His hand worked up and down, thumb brushing the head of his cock and squeezing against the jerk of his hips.

She groaned and reached between her legs, dipping two fingers into her pussy.

Swirling her fingers around for a moment, Betty brought her wet fingers up and spread them apart to coat her nipple. Her fingers flicked rapidly and she dropped her head back against Sweet Pea’s shoulder with a shudder.

“Christ, Betty,” Sweet Pea mumbled into her hair, arm sliding away from her pelvis to the junction of her thighs.

Her knees spread easily.

Sweet Pea’s fingers rubbed up and down the wetness of her slit and Betty chewed on her lip with a mewl.

“Come all over my tits, Juggie,” she breathed, eyes locking onto the black of his.

Jughead came undone then, Betty’s name dropping from his lips in a whisper that sounded like sweet honey.

His hips jerked once, twice more, over her before his face twisted in pleasure, eyebrows knitting together and then relaxing completely. Warmth splashed across her skin, his come dotting her flushed chest like a watercolor painting.

Sighing, Jughead sat back on his heels, eyes half-lidded like he was drunk.

Betty ran her finger in a line from the hollow of her throat to her sternum. Her fingers were already wet with Sweet Pea’s come and she gathered some of Jughead’s, then popped her fingers in her mouth.

The hand at her pussy delivered a smack that had her moaning around her fingers and her legs closing around his hand.

“What a naughty girl you’ve been today, Betty.” Sweet Pea whispered into the crown of her head, like a poorly kept secret.

There was an indiscernible gleam in Jughead’s eye when he agreed, like he hadn’t been playing along with her the whole time. What a snake.

Betty huffed, pulling her wet fingers from her mouth, and in a split second decision, ripped Sweet Pea’s hand from her and shoved Jughead onto his back with the flat of her palm. Scrambling, she rolled off the side of the bed and landed on still shaky legs.

“Too bad today’s over,” she squeaked, dashing down the hall and into the bathroom with a speed that surprised even herself.

With the door locked behind her, Betty sighed in relief, back pressed to the cool wood.

Turning the taps of the shower, she let the water run hot under her fingers as she ignored the disgruntled commentary outside the door.

She hummed, thinking about how this started so simply — here in the bathroom.

There wasn’t a thing Betty would change, given the chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I reeeeeeally hope that made up for the wait.
> 
> [@lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com) is my tumblr.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, helloooo. Long time no see? Sorry about that, seriously. I'm not quite sure what happened. 
> 
> Today is the one year anniversary of this fic! Isn't that so exciting? Of course, I had intended to be finished with this and onto the sequel at this point but it's fine. I've got way too many ideas for pbj LCT to be done anytime soon it seems, haha. 
> 
> Anyway, have to warn you, there is a bit of angst in this chapter. But it had to happen. Enjoy!
> 
> [theheavycrown](https://theheavycrown.tumblr.com) and [opportunistichag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpportunisticHag/pseuds/OpportunisticHag) are my cheerleaders, betas, bffs, you name it. Ot3, baby.

Yesterday had been a good day — alarmingly so.

With a sad smile up at the sun that was peeking through their bedroom blinds, Betty knew it was inevitable that it would all come crashing down at some point. It always seemed to happen that way.

Life had its up and downs, like a rollercoaster, after all. And lately, she had been on the up and up.

With Sweet Pea spending all of his nights in Jughead’s room now, she had been reluctant to leave the two of them alone. At first it had seemed like she was a wall between their budding relationship, but they had both been slowly chipping away at the barrier until there was nothing separating them. Now there were even times when she would leave her house after her mother had gone to bed and creep into the apartment to find them completely wrapped around one another in the bed.

The sight often left her so overwhelmed with emotion that she could do little but sit at the edge of the bed and watch them.

When she had her fill of watching the way Sweet Pea would mumble in his sleep, nose bumping into the back of Jughead’s neck and the resulting wiggle away, arms searching for Betty beneath the cool sheets — she would slip into whichever spot they’d left her.

On the nights they were all together, she often settled herself into the middle of the bed long before the two of them turned in. Though she loved her giant space heaters, it was nice to get that big bed all to herself every once in a while.

The space it afforded had been put to good use for other night time activities. And mid-day activities. And early morning activities.

It hurt her to leave them — though they had each other, in more ways than they ever had before.

She hated being stuck in her full size bed, deafened by the quiet of her mother’s home, surrounded with pictures of Polly, Alice, and her, like nothing was out of the ordinary. Nevermind the fact that her father had been cut out of them all.

Closing her eyes, she relished the comfort of warmth at her back. As Jughead’s breath fanned across her neck, a shiver ran down her spine that had her wiggling back into his chest. His arm tightened around her waist, fingers curling under her side, effectively trapping her. Letting him have his way for a few more minutes wouldn't hurt — as it seemed both he and Sweet Pea enjoyed their time with her separately as much as they did all together.

Having the day off of classes and homework would be nice, as her psychology professor had emailed the day before to say he’d be out the rest of the week. They’d been assigned a powerpoint presentation to review, a study guide, and a quiz that she’d completed already. So today, she was going back to the house.

Her mother had been texting multiple times a day and she figured that staying at the house a couple days in a row would satiate her for a little while. Plus, there was a limit to her clean clothes here.

After she lounged in bed with Jughead for a little while longer, the alarm on her phone chimed and her eyes popped open.

Reaching out across the sheets, she stretched over the side of the bed to grab at her phone on the nightstand. The grumbles in her shoulder blades had her swatting at the hands that refused to let go of her waist.

“Jug, you have to get up for your class now.”

“Don’t wanna,” he groaned, nuzzling his face into her back as she clicked off the annoying sound. Then, when her phone was safely back on the table, he pushed at her back so she fell to the bed onto her stomach.

“Oof, what are you—” he shoved her face into the mattress, rolling on top of her and then sitting on the backs of her thighs as he loomed over her.

He blew across her neck, causing goosebumps to rise in a familiar fashion. “I want you.” His lips pressed against her nape, barely ghosting along her skin but sending an array of tingles down her spine. “Right. Now.”

Her fingers grabbed fistfuls of the sheets, back arching in attempt to buck him off. He only pressed his chest further into her back, weighing her down against the bed. Turning her face to the side, she huffed, “You’re going to be _late_.”

“I could be quick,” he murmured into her ear, the sound curling right in the pit of her stomach. “Please?”

She clenched her eyes shut, panting as his hands began to trail down her shoulder blades and spine, then up her thighs. His fingers pressed fleetingly to the bruises she knew littered the curve of her hip from several days prior before flipping her nightgown up about her waist, tracing the band of her underwear.

Chewing on her lower lip, she raised up onto her elbows, looking over her shoulder at Jughead with a raised eyebrow. “And what do I get if I say yes?” she challenged.

He raised up, sitting back on her thighs, eyes trailing down to her ass.

There was a quietness in the air as his fingers splayed against her, roaming the smooth skin of her bottom and lower back. He slipped underneath her underwear, picking the band up and snapping it against her skin. “Besides getting to come? Well, you’re playing with fire now, Betts — but I thought maybe we’d show SP what he misses when he has to be up so early.”

The bite of the snap had her wide awake, skin thrumming. She licked her lower lip at the suggestion, brow arching further. “Are you saying you want to sext Sweets while we’re fucking?”

His smirk answered her question, eyes hungry as he ran his fingers down between her legs. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

Betty lifted her hips as much as she could with his weight resting on her, pushing back against his hand as his fingers pressed against her to find her underwear damp. “He’s gonna be so pissed.”

“Only because you won’t be here when he gets back.”

Her eyes rolled back in her head, already on their way at his impish comment, as he yanked her underwear to the side and sunk two fingers into her pussy. “He’s bound to — fuck,” she whined when he leaned over to grab at her phone, pressing her into the mattress, fingers scraping at her g-spot already. “—come over to my moms and beat down the door.”

Jughead settled back down, fumbling with her phone in his left hand and unlocking it. When he hovered the camera over his hand inside her she cringed at how unappealing the photo would look,e, but he snapped the image before her insecurities objected, curling his fingers again and making her mouth drop open wordlessly.

“That’s if he doesn't just get up in the middle of class and leave right now.” He showed her the message he’d typed out before attaching the picture.

They were using her phone, so she wondered what Sweet Pea would think when he opened up the text to find Jughead’s fingers in her pussy and the words, **‘** ** _Look at our girl, begging me to fuck her. Wish you were here.’_ **

Which she figured was pretty much true, as a gasp fell from her lips when he pumped his fingers in rapid succession. She pushed back against him, knees digging into the bed. “More,” she choked out, feeling incredibly light.

“Breathe,” he reminded before leaning down to press a kiss to her temple, slipping a third finger inside her.

The chime of a returned text had them both turning to the phone on the bed next to them. The two of them frequently sent her heart racing, but this game was entirely new. Her heart beat wildly against her ribs, a thrill of excitement thrumming through her veins.  

Two texts popped up in quick succession.

 

**_Fucking hell_ **

**_I’m in_ ** **class**

 

Jughead pumped his fingers, dragging slowly along the front wall of her pussy and eliciting a long moan from her. “He obviously doesn't know what he’s missing, does he?”

Shaking her head, Betty writhed against the bed, hips bucking against his hand as he moved excruciatingly slow.

He was multitasking, typing out another message that he read for her approval. “ _Should I fuck her without you_?”

It made her whine, peeking over her shoulder at him. “I thought that was the point?”

He punctuated his sigh with a thrust of his fingers, clicking the send button. “I’m just playing with him.”

When he pulled on the drawstring of his sleep pants, she caught a glimpse of his cock, tenting his pants. Biting her lip, she pushed backward for more. Her cheeks burned as she huffed a breath out against the mattress, resolving to take a cool shower before heading to her mother’s.

 

**_I dare you_ **

 

If there was a challenge on the board, it was more likely than not that Jughead was going to take the bait — especially when it was to fuck his girlfriend.

He sent a winking face in response and looked to Betty with a smirk before pulling his fingers from her pussy. Bringing them up to her mouth, he nodded up with his chin. “Have a taste.”

There was an ulterior motive to this, she was sure, but she opened her mouth anyway. As she licked up his fingers, she heard the silent snap of the camera, and her eyes darted up to find him grinning down at the screen.

“Juggie, I look like a mess,” she started, a frown forming on her lips.

“You look beautiful, Betty, stop worrying. Sweet Pea’s gonna eat this up,” he said, sending the picture off before setting the phone down to continue peering down at her. “Now finish up.”

There was a frustration building in her chest at the slow pace when Jughead was already going to be late to his class. She took a calming breath before pulling his fingers back into her mouth and sucking them clean, the taste of herself sharp on her tongue but not unpleasant.

With a pleased grin, Jughead showed her the phone screen.

 

**_Jesus christ_ **

**_Put your cock in her mouth_ **

 

She was both surprised and not that Sweet Pea had doled out demands.

“Should I give him what he wants?”

Looking up, Betty nodded. “Switch me spots.”

They did a shuffle, twisting on the bed so that Betty rolled over on top of Jughead, who had turned onto his back. Lifting up onto her knees, between his legs, she curled her fingers into his loosened sleep pants.

Glancing up, she found him fixated on her face and her cheeks burned in response. “What?”

He covered one of her hands with his and together they pulled his pants down far enough for his cock to spring free. “I just wish I could see the look on his face right now.”

Her eyebrows rose and she wrapped a hand around him, squeezing lightly. “Oh, so that’s your main priority right now?” She chided, tilting her head.

Jughead groaned, hips bucking up, his cock sliding in her grasp. “No, no — definitely not...” his words faded as she bent forward to take him into her mouth. His hands grasped at nothing, coming up to her face only to fall back and grab handfuls of the sheets again.

Watching with mirth in her eyes, she contemplated reaching back and pulling out the scrunchie keeping her hair in a bun — but he beat her to it; her hands were occupied after all.

The yank to her hair as it was removed made her scalp sting, but delightfully so. Her eyes fluttered and she moaned around him in her mouth. She pressed a palm to his hip, digging her nails into him when he bucked up into her mouth.

With one hand tangled in her now loose hair, he fumbled for her phone with the other, the scrunchie wrapped securely around his wrist.

She hadn’t planned for a photo session this morning, and part of her hoped that Sweet Pea wasn't saving these to his phone, but she had no doubt in her mind her was.

Pulling away, she furrowed her brow at Jughead.

“Not so angry,” he teased.

“You do realize you’re in quite the precarious position here, right?” Betty emphasized her point with a squeeze around the base of his cock.

He sucked in a breath, tensing under her. “Please,” he offered, petting a hand down her hair.

Rolling her eyes, she started back in before stopping short as an idea came to mind. She glanced up and couldn't help but grin. “Send him a video, no sound.”

He twitched in her hand, a groan falling from his lips. “Can I send it to myself too?”

She blew cool air across the tip of his cock. “Don't be greedy.”

“Fuck — fine, just—”

Betty brought her mouth down again, wrapping her lips around him and suckling at the tip.

His words withered into a moan, head dropping back to the headboard.

When she dug her nails into his hip, he hissed and brought his attention back to her. She pointedly looked to the phone in his hand.

After he gave her a nod, she put on a show.

Licking up and down, bobbing her head, using her hand in junction with her mouth — all while looking up at the camera with a steady gaze.

When her lips started to get tingly, she pulled away with a wet pop and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m sure that’s good enough. That was like two whole minutes.”

“More than enough for him to jack off to in the bathroom.”

Her eyebrows rose and Jughead rolled his eyes.

“If you think he won't, then you’d be wrong — now turn around.”

She watched him send the video off before turning in place and settling each leg on the outside of Jughead’s so she was straddling his thighs.

Betty crossed her arms at her hips and pulled the short lavender nightgown up over her head, tossing it over the edge of the bed. Running her fingers through her hair, she combed some of the knots out before brushing the majority over her shoulder so she could look over the opposite at him.

“How’s this?”

He licked his lower lip, hands moving to knead her ass through the white cotton underwear. “Pretty great view if I do say so myself.”

The phone chimed, dinging several times, and she felt giddy at the back and forth.

 

**_I’m about to just drop this fuckin class_ **

**_Who needs statistics_ **

**_All I wanna do is bury my cock in that pretty mouth_ **

 

“Cute,” she cooed. “Let’s play a little more.”

Swatting his hands away, she scooted back a little bit until she was backed up to his cock. Reaching around, she wrapped her hand around him, toying with an idea.

Leaning forward and lifting her bottom up, she pulled the edge of her underwear up so she could slip Jughead’s cock underneath. Then, she snapped the band back in place and grinned at him, rocking so that he slid against the curve of her ass, held in place by her underwear.

“I thought we were supposed to be doing this quick...”

Clicking her tongue at him, she planted her hands on his knees and threw a look over her shoulder. “Do you really want me to stop?”

“Hell no.”

“Then. Shut. Up,” she stressed with a roll of her hips. “Send this to Sweets.”

Jughead groaned, “Yes, ma’am.”

After a pause, his hands rose up to her hips to roll her back against him. His own bucking up to shift against her. “Why is that so fucking good?”

She hummed quietly, savoring the press of his cock, hot and heavy, against her ass. Chewing on her lower lip, she wondered what Sweet Pea was doing with these pictures — what he was seeing, thinking, feeling. She wanted his hands on her too.

The chime of his text had her twisting to look over her shoulder, tilting her hips forward and lifting up a bit to slide Jughead’s cock back and forth against her.

 

**_That view_ **

**🍑🍑🍑 🤤**

 

He sent three peach emojis followed by a drooling face.

 

**_Wanna spank that ass_ **

 

A grin spread across her lips, imagining him squirming in class and chomping at the bit to just leave. She jerked her chin up as Jughead finished reading the reply, voice low and heedy, sending prickles up her spine.

“Indulge him.”

He dropped the phone beside them, hands moving to cup her ass and squeeze. “Yeah?”

“Show him your handprint,” Betty offered boldly, lip between her teeth in anticipation.

His hips bucked up, cock thrusting against her ass in tandem with his groan. “You're sure?” His thumb made a slow circle against the curve of her hip as she relaxed back into him.

She nodded, “Yes.”

He grabbed at her hips, gripping her in handfuls as he rocked her back against him. Then he was rubbing the palm of his hand over ass, drawing her underwear up and holding it away from her skin. His fingers danced across her, lighting her up in a wave of goosebumps, hair raising all along her neck and arms.

Jughead hummed appreciatively, then his hand was coming down hard against her. Without warning.

Her breath caught in her throat, fingernails digging into his knees and the sheets, anywhere she could hold onto. With her back arched and her eyes squeezed shut, she panted for breath. “H—harder.”  

He obliged, only barely brushing the sting sway before he smacked her again, the pain was sharper than the first time, causing her to jolt into a deeper arch. His hips chased her upwards, cock rutting against her ass.

Heat pooled in her belly, thighs squeezing around Jughead's legs as she rocked her hips forward. She could taste sharpness on her tongue and let her jaw fall slack, lip throbbing from the abuse of her teeth. Her eyelids fluttered at the endorphins licking up her spine, moan bubbling in her chest before spilling into her throat, thick and hot.

Then, he smacked her again.

“Fuck, _Jughead_ —” she sucked in a forgotten breath, grasping and sinking forward to keep herself from giving into the floating feeling.

“So pretty like this.”

His palm soothed over her skin, eliciting a hiss from her throat. “Take the picture.” She squirmed, aching deeply for _more_. “I want you to fuck me.” Her tone was breathless, as she scrambled to control the orgasm that she was already falling towards from little to no direct stimulation.

“I like a woman that knows what she wants.”

“Less talking, more fucking,” she chirped.

His laugh echoed in her ears and she pinched the inside of his thigh, his grunt appeasing her as he fumbled for the phone.

She glanced over her shoulder, watching him for a moment and rolling her eyes at the look of concentration on his face before looking toward the camera. When he set the phone back down she could have clapped, but she settled for reaching back and tugging her underwear further to the side as she lifted herself to allow his cock to slide against her.

“Now,” she tutted, bending at the waist and tilting her hips back. “You've got me soaking these underwear, so do me favor and fuck the shit out of me so I can do what I need to do today, Jug.”

“Jesus christ, Betty.”

One hand gripped her hip, fingers digging in and rocking her hips back in his hold as he wrapped the other around his cock. He pumped himself twice before slipping between her folds and yanking her down onto him to slide home.

Her eyes slipped closed, fingernails biting into his knees as she squeezed her legs around his. The ache that had her clit throbbing abated only slightly, already craving more.

“Sweet Pea is really missing out,” she purred, lifting her hips up while Jughead rocked forward. His reply dissolved into a groan, one that her delighting in the sound and clenching her walls around his cock.

It's too bad that when Sweet Pea got home later, she wouldn't be sitting pretty, tied up in a bow and full of Jughead's come like she really wanted.

Instead, she would be at the house of the devil.

. . . .

. . .

. .

.

If she had to go home, it would be with laundry in tow.

Not only did she need to switch out and wash her own clothes, but she might as well save the boys a trip to the laundromat while she was at it. Their quarter jar would thank her later.

After rounding up her clothes in a very retired Vixen branded duffle bag, Betty grabbed the hamper in the closet, dragging it out into the room to toss in the remaining articles of clothing that littered the floor. A combination of a little bit of all of them.

She left Jughead's room to head into Sweet Pea's. Opening his door still felt like an invasion of privacy, without him there to invite her in. It was the place he would retreat to, when the world was just a little too much. She did not want to take that safe space from him.

She peeked in, turning the light on before stepping into the room. It was always a surprise to see how different his and Jughead's rooms were — Sweet Pea's was fairly tidy in comparison. Though, all three of them were contributing to the disarray now.

Looking around, she found a few stray piles of clothes, ones that hadn't quite made it into the basket he used as a hamper. She grabbed them up, taking her time to admire the pictures that decorated his cork board. It was filled with images from their time in high school — before and after they were forced to mature in such a short amount of time. The difference was noticeable, the weight of parent betrayal and too much death hanging on their shoulders.

There was a notebook on his desk, his initials carved into the plastic corner, that she was sorely tempted to open. She wondered if there would be poetry inside, more of the same that had stoked the barely there flame in her heart.

These days, it was a roaring bonfire.

Once her arms were full, she dropped everything on the bed before crawling up the covers and dropping face first into the pillow bunched into the center.

The sheets were wrinkled and worn, but soft under her cheek. She huddled in, breathing deep and closing her eyes tightly as the familiar scent of Sweet Pea's shampoo filled her with a startling pang of longing.

Her heart hurt, an ache was building in her gut at the thought of going home and missing his return to the apartment. She almost wished she had class on Fridays, a distraction she was willing to welcome in this case. Anything to escape the heat of summer and pain of staying in Riverdale until Spring semester.

Their transfer to NYU could not come soon enough. Christmas was on her countdown clock for more than one reason, since they would be getting ready to move to an even tinier apartment.

Sweet Pea had already affectionately named it The Shoebox, despite having only looked at a couple places online. But the numbers did not lie, and the square footage would literally have them sleeping on top of each other.

Turning her face to the side, Betty sighed before rolling over to sit up. Gathering the clothes up in her arms, she trudged out, turning the light off as she went. With everything in tow, she packed into Hal's old Bronco that she had finally been able to talk her mother into letting her have. It would have just sat in their garage, collecting dust under a tarp otherwise.

She still hadn't gotten over her father's actions, but she was further along in the process than Alice would ever be — the state of their house reflected that quite clearly. There was a vulnerability after the ordeal with the Black Hood that had changed her mother in ways that Betty did not recognize anymore. It stung. Perhaps more than what her father put her through.

The Farm was still very much a presence in their lives, one that she detested and avoided at all costs. They had stolen her sister first, then her mother. They would not have her.

Walking inside the front door, the first thing she noticed was the silence. The only sound came from the light tinkle of wind chimes out back and the hum of the air conditioner. Her mother wasn't home. She breathed a sigh of relief and shut the door with the back of her foot.

At least she could start the laundry and grab a snack before being subjected to Alice Cooper. She needed her strength for that.

_(And boy, would she ever.)_

After a ham and cheese sandwich and two loads of the boys laundry, she was finally throwing hers in. Starting the cycle, she gathered up the basket of warm clothes (containing a startling amount of black and plaid) with half a mind to dump them out and curl up in the pile like a cat ready for a nap. But when she walked into the kitchen, she about dropped the basket.

“Mom?”

The living room light was on, a handbag on the table next to a stack of mail.

Heels clicked as Alice stepped onto the tile in the kitchen, rounding the corner from the living room with sharp turn, eyebrows already high and tight.

“Oh, you're home today? I almost forgot what you looked like.”

Picking up the laundry and propping it against her hip, she rolled her eyes. “Yes, I'm home today. Getting some laundry done, among other things.”

“Hmph.” Alice narrowed in on the basket, arms crossing over her floral blazer. The bangles on her wrist jingled brazenly, her fingers visibly tightening. “I see your boyfriend is too lazy to do his own.”

“ _Excuse_ me?” Betty bit out, chest feeling tight all of a sudden. “He is _not_ lazy. I'm saving them a trip to the laundromat.”

“He is _using_ you, Elizabeth — and you're letting him.”

_What the fuck_ —

“Mom,” her eyebrows scrunched together, basket weighing heavy at her side as she clung to some semblance of reasoning. “It's just _laundry._ ”

She still wasn't having it. “You're ingraining a pattern of selfishness—”

There was no point to this conversation, and Betty was _finished_ with the implications.

She clenched her jaw, walking away from her mother and through the living room to reach the stairs. She ignored the incessantly shrill call of her name and bounded up the stairs as quickly as she could, retreating to her room.

Flipping the lock on the handle, she upturned the basket onto the bed and dumped out all the clothes. She grabbed her headphones, popping them in, connecting to her phone, and turning her music up to a volume that could drown out the echoes her mother had planted.

Once she'd finished folding all the clothes and stacked them back in the hamper, she still itched for something to do with her hands.

Spying her journal on the vanity, she picked it up, flipping to the last written page. Plucking up her pen, she tucked her legs underneath her against the bench of her window seat.

Words flowed freely the moment she set pen to paper, looping in the delicate cursive she'd practiced and practiced with a fountain pen.

It was only when she finished that she realized she had been writing a poem.

Smiling down at the page, Betty closed the journal, hand smoothing across the dark leather until she reached her neatly carved initials in the corner. She hoped Sweet Pea would make her another, when this one was full of jumbled thoughts and her attempts at organization (and now apparently poetry).

Enough time passed that the load in the dryer was likely finished, but the thought of seeing her mother drove her to stay in the window far longer than necessary, watching Fred tinkering in his yard across the way. He wasn't even doing anything in particular, just trying to keep his hands busy. She had half a mind to go over and ask if he needed any help around the house, rather than face the fire breathing dragon downstairs.

It would be entirely too easy easy to sneak down the trellis. However, she was no damsel in distress.

Pushing up from the window seat, she padded across the carpet to her bathroom to freshen up and run a brush through the tangled mess of her hair. She stalled for time, brushing her teeth and washing her face.

Feeling much more human, she ventured downstairs to find her mother sitting at the dining room table, laptop in front of her and various papers scattered about, still in orderly fashion.

They did not speak while Betty checked the laundry to pull her clothes out and dump them into another basket. Setting them on top of the dryer, she wandered back to the kitchen to browse the refrigerator for something to take back upstairs with her. Snacks during chores were always a must.

“Elizabeth.”

The call of her name had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, stomach sinking uncomfortably as she closed the fridge empty handed and turned to face her mother.

Alice folded her glasses together and set them on the table with a calmness that seemed out of place. Her fingers closed the lid of her laptop with a gentle tap, and her blue eyes shot up to stare at Betty from across the kitchen with purpose. Her lips pursed as she folded her hands against the table, ever prim and proper.

“I heard a rumor about you earlier today and I sincerely hope it is just that.”

Her heart slammed against her ribcage like the beat of drum, the sound of her blood beginning to rush through her ears. “Oh, did you now? I hadn't realized you still cared about my well being.”

“Only when it concerns the town painting you as a whore,” she said sharply, nose turning up in the air. “If your defensive tone is anything to go by, perhaps I should just go ahead and find you a scarlet letter to wear.”

Catching herself before her jaw dropped any further, she clenched it together so tightly that her teeth began to ache. “Just spit it out, Mom.”

Alice crossed her arms over her chest. “I hear that you’ve been seen around town going out with Jughead _and_ his lackey. Hanging all over the both of them.”

“Well, you do realize they live together right? And that _Sweet Pea_ is as much my best friend as Jughead?” Betty said, tight-lipped, skin starting to crawl at the nature of this discussion. “But I’ll squash any _rumors_ for you right now, I _am_ with both of them — romantically, and it’s nobody's business but our own.”

Her mother let out a rather undignified snort. “Nobody’s business? Well the whole town certainly knows. You’re not doing a very good job of keeping it behind closed doors.”

She took half a breath. “We’re not _hiding_ anything.”

“Oh, so you don’t mind the whole town knowing that you’re fucking two gang members?”

The recoil she felt was sharp, as if she’d been slapped across the cheek. “It’s not like I’m fucking them in public, Mom, Jesus—"

“So you admit that you are?”

“Admit what?” she said with raised brows, heart rate picking up as an indiscernible pressure rose in her chest.

“That they’re passing you around like a rag doll. Are you fucking the rest of the gang too?  Some nightly game that they take turns with?” Her tone was derisive, spiteful and demeaning.

“God, _no_ —"

“Then _what_ exactly are you doing? You’re acting like a slut. Are you that insatiable that you need more than one man to warm your bed? They're _no good_ ,” she said pointedly, finger jabbing at the table with the enunciation of each word. “I know they're distracting you from your school work. I've called the college and asked about your grades.”

Her head spun, eyes clenching tightly as she shook her head bewildered. “You did _what_?”  

“Out of four classes last semester — only one A, Elizabeth? You said you made the Dean's list. Do you actually have any intention of transfering to a university? Because at this rate I don't know who would want you anymore. You’ve become unsuitable for an ambitious career track and no man would accept a whore for a wife.”

Blinking back the tears that had started to pool in the corners of her eyes, she took a breath in through her nose. Her hands curled into fists at her side, the familiar sting of her nails stopping her from losing her goddamn mind.

Alice took her silence as opportunity to continue her tirade.

“I _knew_ when you stopped taking your Adderall that things were going to go downhill. Of course — you've never been able to make a good decision on your own. I don't know what I expected really. You were always such a _disappointment_.”

Alice rattled on but the words fell on deaf ears as Betty let her eyes flicker closed for a moment. There was rage that she felt in her bones — roaring to life with such force that it made her eyes sting with the prick of a torrent of unshed tears. She ached deeply, fiercely, profoundly, and feared it would swallow her whole; drown her in an inescapable sea.

The taste of blood on her tongue was tangy and metallic, and she wondered how long she’d been biting her tongue.

_For years_ , she thought idly.

One of the things she had always associated  with her father was the way he lashed out with such quiet intensity that it instilled more fear than angry words and threatened actions. While her mother screamed until her throat was raw — sneering, biting, and speaking before thinking of the consequences.

Though she hadn't spoken to her father in quite a long a while, not since the last time she’d turned her back on him in his shiny new prison cell, she could hear and feel him everywhere in the room. It was like he was leaning over her shoulder, whispering in her ear and the thought itself was so disconcerting, it sent a shiver down her spine. She could imagine the words that would come from his mouth.

Right now, he was agreeing with her mother.

“You’re already the daughter of serial killer, Elizabeth.”

Her eyes closed tightly. The words filtered in like cold seeping under the door in winter, coming for her.

_“Do you really want to be known as a Serpent slut?”_

_“You’re going to amount to nothing at this rate, just like them.”_

_“Did Jughead force you into this?”_

_“I can’t believe the nerve you have — to taint the Cooper name beyond what it’s already been through. People already stare at me in supermarket like I’m the basket case of this family._

“—Imagine what they think of me, Elizabeth.”

“God, what a horrible thing, Mom,” she bit out, the tick to her jaw matched the tightly clenched fists at her side. “To have someone look at you and judge you, and think terrible things about you. I wouldn't know what that feels like _at all.”_

The bite of her nails to her palms spurred her on as she took a step towards her mother, who turned her nose up further. “It’s no wonder that Dad resorted to murder, I’m just surprised it wasn’t _you_ he went after.”

Her mother’s hands trembled before she folded them into her lap, out of sight with perfect poise. Eyes narrowing, her lip curled into a sneer. “You don’t have any money. Are those two gangbangers going to support you? They’ll amount to nothing. You’ll be visiting them in prison before long. Conjugal visits aren't real, you know.”

Her blood was boiling, searing with a flame that rose up her throat as she took another step forward. She felt joy at her mother’s flinch.

“Don’t talk about them like that. You have no right. You know _nothing_ about them because you’ve never _tried_. All you care about is your Northside pride which, let me remind you, was gained by marrying a _murderer_.” Betty slapped her hand down on the table as she stepped closer. “You’ve ruined yourself because you were so ashamed of your past, so desperate to get away. But guess what, Mom? It didn't fucking work. Look where you are now. I hope you’re happy with how things have turned out. What a wonderful life you’ve crafted for yourself here. I hope you plan on enjoying it alone, because I want no part if you’re going to act like a spoiled rich bitch.”

Betty’s chest heaved, eyes filling with tears from the overwhelming need to scream. The pressure in her chest felt like a lead jacket wrapped too tightly, suffocating just like her mother.

The hurt that flashed across Alice’s face was a tiny pin-prick of release — breath leaving her flared nostrils as her whole body trembled with restraint.

Turning her back on her mother, she walked away with careful steps, resisting the desire to stomp away.

Once she climbed the stairs, she opened the pristine white door to her bedroom and slipped inside, closing it behind her. All at once the breath left her body, along with a sob.

Her tears rushed down her burning cheeks as she dropped to her knees, fingers digging into the carpet in an attempt to keep herself from spinning into the ether.

For one tiny fraction of her existence, she knew why her father had done what he did.

Perhaps her mother drove him to seek out that dormant seed of madness buried inside of him.

When her shoulders finally stopped shaking, she felt her breath settle into more even measures. Then, came the dread and guilt and anxiety and a barrage of emotions that were so unidentifiable that all they succeeded in doing was making her ill.

The unsettling of her stomach prompted her to sit up. Stray hairs stuck to her face, cheeks hot and wet.

There were still things she wished she had done — said.

Bumped her hip into the hallway table and sent the Scandinavian crystal shattering across the floor. Slammed her door shut reminiscent of the way that Polly used to do — shaking the frame of the house with the force. Been harsher with her words to get her point across.

Because if there was one thing about her mother, she was good at twisting what you _did_ say into something else. Though actions often spoke louder than words with her. She almost wished she had slapped her instead of arguing back at all.

Suddenly, Betty realized she was exhausted.

Picking her head up, she took a breath that burned weakly in her lungs. It was likely she’d held her breath during points in that conversation, among other things, she realized, looking down at her hands. She uncurled her fists from the petal pink carpet. It was stained with splotches of bright red.

Turning her hands over, she studied the bloodied mess of her palms and her fingers began to tremble once more.

Alice only seemed to bring out the bad in her, never the good.

She ached with a tiredness that was drowning in itself. The pain in her hands from clenching them so tightly — carving out crescent moons would haunt her for weeks to come — was echoed in her jaw from grinding her teeth together. Had she just been in a fight? It felt like she’d gone through the gauntlet herself and would have the scars to prove it.

Dragging herself up from the floor, she clicked the lock into place on the door before dropping onto the middle of her bed, face first. She curling into the flowered bedspread, letting out a broken, dry sob.

 

 

_tbc_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also I really really truly swear that the next chapter is not far out. Like at the point of posting this, it is halfway finished and then will go into beta. I swear I won't leave you like this for long!
> 
> [@lilibug--xx](https://lilibug--xx.tumblr.com) is my tumblr, yo.
> 
> Also not sure if everyone's noticed, but I wrote a little prequel fic to this called [sugar cookie sunshine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17810912) that y'all should check out for more pbj feels :)


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